Lymphedema Treatment Act Update

MsCjay

Here is Heather Ferguson's recap of the November 2-4 Washington, D.C. to educate Congress about lymphedema:

What an amazing trip we had! Over the course of three days 26 patient advocates from around the country had meetings with about 80 Congressional offices and dropped off information to about 300 more!

We also conducted a Congressional Staff Briefing that was so well attended it was standing room only! In addition to seven of our patients on the trip who presented "Patient Perspectives", we were also honored to have these five prestigious speakers on the program: Keysha Brooks-Coley from the American Cancer Society, Dr. Stanley Rockson, Dr. Paula Stewart, and physical therapists Maureen McBeth and Nicole Stout.

The Staff Briefing was even covered by a news channel - you can view that clip HERE. And the article below, written by our bill sponsor Congressman Larry Kissell, was published in several North Carolina newspapers and sent out around his district via his weekly constituent newsletter.

It will be some time before we know the full fruits of our labors in DC. It can take days, weeks or even months for some offices to decide about cosponsoring the bill. But we already know that these trips are making a huge difference in the awareness of and knowledge about lymphedema and this bill amongst lawmakers and their staff.

It's impossible to sum up in the confines of this message just how exhilarating, inspiring and empowering it feels to go to DC, advocate for something so personal and important, and know that your voice has been heard. I hope you will take a moment to visit our "DC Lobby Days" page to read what a handful of this year's participants wrote about their experience.

Although it will be a while before we can say for certain the exact dates of our next trip, I hope that even more of you will be able to join us. Our goal is to one-day take residents from all 50 states! And I just have to say one last time, to the 25 men and women with me in DC last week - you represented the entire lymphedema community so admirably and YOU ARE AWESOME!

Heather Ferguson
Chair, Lymphedema Advocacy Group
www.LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org
info@LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org