For IEHP member Isaiah O. and his mother, Daisy E., Medi-Cal isn’t just support. It’s survival.

Isaiah, 19, lives with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects his movement, balance and posture. He cannot walk or speak. But thanks to Medi-Cal and in-home care, the Riverside teen — also known by his rapper’s name, Lil’ Ice Bear — leads a life filled with creativity, love and purpose.

“All of his life-sustaining medical care, feeding tube, supplies and medications are provided through Medi-Cal,” Daisy said.  Without it, she added, they’d face impossible choices about his care and whether he could even stay at home with the family.

Medi-Cal covers Isaiah’s specialized nutrition formula (essential due to severe food allergies), medications to manage painful muscle spasms, and a special communication device that lets him speak — and write music.

One of Isaiah’s proudest moments? Being featured on ABC7’s “SoCal Strong” segment with his nurse, who also produces his music.

Talk of budget cuts to programs like Medi-Cal always gets Daisy’s attention because she knows what’s really at stake.

At an IEHP all-staff meeting in March, Isaiah delivered a message to thousands of team members, using the very device Medi-Cal made possible.

“Keep helping disabled people and people who are poor,” he said. “You are helping someone whenever you’re at your computer helping us get our stuff.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.