She had a home and a good-paying job. Then illness and debt upended it all.
Entrance to emergency room at hospital. [Shutterstock]

Sharon Woodward used to travel the country as a medical technician. She made good money and prided herself on her skills.

But in her mid-40s, Woodward retired after being diagnosed with a debilitating form of arthritis.

Her condition required expensive drugs and regular medical care, which left her with more than $20,000 in medical debts.

She had no option but to move out of her home and restart her life in a small town in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. At times, she has relied on food banks to get enough to eat.

Woodward is one of 100 million people in the U.S. with health care debt.