Our new Legislative Liaison for 2021 is Lynn Miller, BSN, RN, CGRN.
Your Support Removed Barriers to CRC Screening Act — YOU DID IT!
READ all about it here: Passage of the Act
SGNA stands with Fight Colorectal Cancer in opposing any healthcare plan that does not protect cancer patients.
Hello everyone,
I’m writing to introduce a new column for the newsletter. I’ve been asked to serve as a resource for information to facilitate WSGNA members participation in legislative matters. As an involved citizen it is easy to communicate with elected officials. Email makes it efficient and saves on postage while getting your concerns, opinions, or thanks to your legislators. Google is another useful tool to obtain information about organizations and their missions related to various GI diseases and conditions.
In order to accomplish this I’ll start by giving you information about contacting some of your government officials. If you Google “how to contact your elected officials” it will bring up the www.usa.gov website. This site starts right at the top with how to contact President Biden, then your US Senators followed by US Representatives. Scrolling down it gives you state elected officials and finally local elected officials. For instance to contact our US Senators select that option, then choose either our state or the name of a senator. Once you select either Tammy Baldwin or Ron Johnson you are directed to their site, then you fill out the required information and you’ll be able to send your email to our Senators. For your congressperson, select the “find your US representatives” and you will then input your zip code. You may be asked to enter your address as some zip codes overlap multiple congressional districts. Follow whatever choices or prompts are needed to send your email. You can continue to scroll down for the remaining choices for state and local elected officials.
There are also other options for supporting colon cancer care and legislation. One site that I have found helpful is from the American Cancer Society. It is the ACS – Cancer Action Network. What I’ve found helpful from this website www.fightcancer.org by signing up for their email, you receive timely information regarding governmental legislation such as cancer research spending or closing the loophole for Medicare patients. The ACN provides pre-written advocacy letters that you can fill in the appropriate personal information and also personalize your message. I find this to be a very convenient way to stay informed and proactive with issues I care about. I also appreciate the feedback from my elected officials I’ve received in return. Much of it is in form letters, but some is specific to things I’ve noted in my correspondence.
I hope I’ve sparked an interest in communicating with some of your elected officials or organizations committed to advocacy for our patients as well as friends and family. Stay informed and involved in matters affecting us all. YOUR VOICE MATTERS, please use it effectively. Thank you for your time and attention.