Hard to believe, but we’re less than three months away from our eighth annual Family Advocacy Day. We are expecting approximately 30 patients – or “All Stars”- and their families from 26 children's hospitals to join us in Washington, DC from July 23-25 to meet with legislators and discuss the importance of quality health care for America’s kids.
This is an unusual time in Washington. There’s no shortage of intense political rhetoric and posturing, but because it’s an election year, it’s difficult for Congress to get much accomplished. Health care is an especially toxic subject, with proponents and foes of the Affordable Care Act awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on the law.
But sometimes all it takes is a good story to cut through the noise and help legislators understand the importance of a given issue. That’s why it’s more important than ever for these brave families to be joining us. Legislators must understand and recognize the important work that our hospitals are doing to keep kids healthy, despite the current political climate.
Kids like Ann and Mary from Memphis, two sisters born with very different medical conditions who both received treatment at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN. Or seven year-old Osvaldo from Manassas, Virginia, who was diagnosed at 10 months old with spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy and receives treatment at HSC Pediatric Center in Washington, DC. These kids could not have received the kind of specialized treatment they needed at an adult hospital. We’re thrilled that they and many other kids will be coming to Washington to tell their story. (You can read about a new children’s hospital All-Star every week by visiting our Family Advocacy Day All-Stars blog.)
Once again this year we will be joined by Max Page from the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Max is better known as “Little Darth Vader” from the 2011 Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial. He was a wonderful advocate and motivational speaker last year, and we’re thrilled that he and his family will be joining us once again.
And we need your help as well. As we get closer to our event in July, we’ll be posting information on ways you can get involved in Family Advocacy Day. From joining us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and posting your thoughts using the hashtag #FAD12, to writing your members of congress in support of our All-Stars, we’ll have plenty of ways to make your voices heard as we get closer to July 23.
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