As Ady Barkan has struggled with the deterioration of his body as a result of ALS, the activist has pulled off a feat that would be remarkable even for the most agile of health care advocates.

This year, month after month, he has drawn most of the major presidential candidates to his doorstep and championed "Medicare for All" while forcing the presidential contenders to think through the impact of their health care agendas in the most personal terms.

He brought California Sen. Kamala Harris to tears recalling the day her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren used Barkan's case to punctuate the failures of the healthcare system during a July presidential debate: "Ady has health insurance, good health insurance, and it's not nearly enough," she said.