since 2016, and have missed one fly-in when I received my
transplant).
Why advocate? It is easy to do. Advocacy does not just mean
the Washington fly-in. It means contacting your legislators
throughout the year as bills are introduced or being spoken
about. It can be a written letter or a telephone call. It can
be in person in Washington, D.C. or at an event in your
community. It can be as simple as calling into one of their
Town Hall calls or going to a Town Hall meeting. Go to their
website or the DPC website and sign up for their email list to
open the communication channels.
Why advocate? It is rewarding. On the call, I told the story of how
after my first fly-in, I was walking through the terminal at Reagan
National Airport and noticed an older man walking alongside of
me. I was thinking to myself that I felt so much younger and more
enthusiastic than that guy before I realized I was walking past a
jewelry store with mirrors down its front. Then, I realized that I
might not look rejuvenated, but I sure felt it.
Why advocate? We need and deserve their attention. If
you and I don’t advocate on behalf of ESRD patients, some
other group will be there. If we are not communicating to our
Senators and Representatives about our needs, somebody
else will be about theirs. An available Congressman in an
airport is like a homing beacon. Everybody wants a few
minutes of his time and a little attention.
One warning about advocacy. It is generally not an overnight
process. I often see people on their first fly-in, or their first
visit to the State Capital thinking they are going to go home
with the satisfaction of seeing their issue addressed on the
spot, with a commitment from their Congressman to do
anything in their power to ensure the bill is passed or blocked
as you requested.
That usually only happens on TV or at the movies. Not
much in DC happens overnight. Medicare Advantage was a
discussion topic for several fly-ins before it suddenly received
a groundswell of attention and was passed last year, and
speeding up the implementation timeframe will still be a topic
this year. I spent three years with one Senate aide encouraging
him to come visit a local dialysis clinic before he finally took
me up on the offer. That was a rewarding experience for
everyone involved, including the aide, the clinic patients, the
clinic staff, and me.
So again…
Why advocate? If you are able to advocate and not feeling like
doing it for yourself, please remember there are others who
are physically or financially unable to undertake the effort and
are depending on the rest of us to be their voices. If not for
me, then for rest of us.
Thank you for giving me this chance to advocate to you.
Want to learn more about advocacy?
Visit our newest class on becoming
at advocate at: goo.gl/sdT9cA
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