Reckoning with Medical Betrayal and the Systems That Silence Us

“First, do no harm.” It is the great oath that we rely upon- patients and providers alike. Yet the practice of medicine carries risks. When accidents and errors occur they must be swiftly acknowledged. Unfortunately, many injured patients are sent home to die while their injuries remain intentionally concealed. Patients often leave hospitals with injuries not related to their original prognosis and their guilty physicians abscond.

In a country where medical error is the third leading cause of death, Fighting the Third is a raw, explosive memoir that exposes how the systems that are designed to heal, too often destroy. This is not just a survival story-it’s a war cry against the negligence, gaslighting, and legal loopholes that prioritize profits over patient survival. When a routine procedure left Hollie disabled for months, she was caught in a defeating web of malpractice, negligence and cronyism, as institutions rested on the weaponization of laws initially designed to protect. From bedridden and betrayed, to validated and healing, she now wants her memoir to be a call to action. She implores other survivors to collect their voices as a chorus for change against a rigged system.

With unflinching candor, this narrative blends her Southern charm and humor into the painstaking journey of survival and heartbreak. But beyond her personal story exists a more important truth: America’s healthcare machine thrives on silence. State laws shield providers, lobbyists drown reform, and preventable tragedies are too often buried in the dirt of “unfortunate outcomes.” Her story dissects these failures of American Healthcare; weaving her survivor story along with chilling data that reveals how quickly accountability evaporates when “capitalist malpractice” is confronted.
Fighting the Third is more than a memoir. It’s a lifeline for the gaslit and a petition to deconstruct the architecture of medical cronyism. From navigating malpractice reporting to confronting industry complacency, Hollie arms readers with an awareness that will help patients take back their power-and spark a revolution where patients matter more than liability.

Let’s come together and continue…
FIGHTING THE THIRD!

Hollie Cope is a powerful voice for patient empowerment and healthcare accountability. A survivor of a devastating medical error, her upcoming memoir Fighting the Third: True Accounts of Surviving a Leading Cause of Death in America (Qushta Publishing, August 11, 2025) chronicles her battle with disability, malpractice, and systemic negligence—with outspoken calls for transparency and reform in U.S. healthcare (Fighting the Third: True Accounts of Surviving a Leading Cause of Death in America: Healthcare).

Before writing, Hollie built a distinguished career as a complementary health consultant specializing in neuromuscular therapy. With experience teaching integrative wellness, hosting community outreach events, and guiding clients through trauma release, nutrition, and holistic well-being, she bridges the gap between mainstream medicine and alternative healing (about Hollie Cope).