No insurance. A broken back. And a hospital that said yes.

When Sandi Potter fell while dancing at a birthday party last November, she thought she’d pulled a muscle.

But the pain wouldn’t go away. Days later, a chiropractor sent her straight to the ER at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. A CT scan revealed the truth: her spine was broken.

A burst fracture in her lower back threatened the 51-year-old Daytona Beach resident's ability to walk. Her recovery would hinge on a hospital willing to treat her, even without insurance.

“I was terrified,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘How am I going to survive this?’ I couldn’t afford help, but I couldn’t live like that.”

She didn’t have to.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Federico Vinas performed an emergency spinal reconstruction at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, using screws and bone grafts to stabilize her spine and prevent permanent damage. The surgery saved her from a future of chronic pain – or worse, paralysis.

But the healing didn’t stop in the operating room.

Potter was uninsured at the time of her injury and feared the care she needed would be out of reach. But after working with the hospital’s financial assistance team and providing the required documentation, she qualified for support based on her income and the medical necessity of her treatment.

In the end, 100% of her care was covered through AdventHealth’s financial assistance program — a relief that she says changed everything.

“I thought I’d be paying for this for the rest of my life,” Potter said. “When I found out I owed nothing, I cried. It felt like someone had lifted a hundred pounds off my shoulders.”

Potter recovered and emerged from the experience not burdened by bills, but she got her life back. Today, she’ walking again. She’s back at work, doing Pilates, and even dancing – although more carefully now. Vinas says Potter’s recovery is a testament to both her determination and the hospital’s mission.

“Sandi’s story reminds us why we’re here,” he said. “We don’t just fix broken bones; we help people stand up again, in every sense of the word.”

Potter’s story is just one example of how AdventHealth extends care beyond the hospital walls.

In 2023, the organization invested millions in financial assistance, unreimbursed care, and community health programs across Florida — ensuring that those in need don’t fall through the cracks.

“They saved me,” she added. “Not just my back. They saved me.”