CCFA: IBD Research and Awareness Act

PissBottleMan

Over the past several years many of you have come out to support Mike McCready as he raises awareness about Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis.

You've attended "Flight To Mars" shows, donated at a Wishlist Foundation fundraiser or bought a "Got Guts" bracelet.

Now, I ask for your help to increase awareness on a national level.

"The IBD Research and Awareness Act" (S.981 / H.R.2275) is a bipartisan bill that would:

"Express the Sense of Congress that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease at NIH should expand support for research and public awareness on inflammatory bowel disease."

This important legislation holds great promise for IBD patients and their families.

If we are able to generate 218 co-sponsors (half of the House) for the House and 51 co-sponsors (half of the Senate) for the Senate, we will be well positioned to pass the bill in the fall of 2010.

Right now, we have 8 sponsors in the Senate and 57 sponsors in the House.

As an IBD patient and fan of Pearl Jam, I am asking for your help to write, email and call your Senators and Congressmen/women and ask them to co-sponsor this bill.

It's extremely important to educate our legislators about these terrible conditions and let them know how they affect their constituents.

I'm asking for your help on behalf of other IBD patients, a family member, a friend...or a guitar player we all know and love.

If you would like more information, visit my blog, follow me on Twitter or send me a PM.

Thank you to all who have helped spread the word over the past several years. We have made the words "Crohn's" and "Colitis" recognizable within the Pearl Jam community. Now, let's take it one step further.

Thank You.

Cheers,

Brent Hinson
CCFA IBD Advocacy Chairperson - Tennessee Chapter

PissBottleMan

Here's a great link and resource to find which of your legislators have already co-sponsored the bill and a place to email senators and congressmen/women in your area that haven't co-sponsored yet.

Cheers,

PBM

PissBottleMan

I also have Word document templates (with pertinent information and room for your personal story) for anyone to use to send emails or snail-mail letters.

Send me a PM or an email to <!-- e --><a href="mailto:ccfaadvocacy@gmail.com">ccfaadvocacy@gmail.com</a><!-- e -->

Cheers,

PBM

Jo

Yes, I want to contribute, but your opening pitch is too long and not catchy.
I did not read your whole pitch because I lost interest. Though, you did get my attention.
Great cause, we do want to help, because children are suffering and todays' people need recruted to stop that.

PissBottleMan

Yes, it is rather wordy. ...I've revised and cleaned up a little.

I wanted to outline the basics of the bill in my first post.

Regardless, thank you for reading and for your help.

If you need anything from me, please don't hesitate to ask. I can help locate your Congressman/woman and Senators for you (including their websites...with links to their contact information).

Thanks for the constructive thoughts and I look forward to your help!

Cheers,

PBM

Eraserhead

Good stuff! As a Crohn's suffer myself, I always like to see things like this and admire Mike's carry-on-with-things attitude.

PissBottleMan

I thought this would be easy for everyone. You can copy and paste these letter templates or use them as a jumping off point for your own personal letter. I'll post templates for letters to Senators and Congressmen/women. The templates are listed below. Thanks again for all your help!

Cheers,

PBM

PissBottleMan

DATE

The Honorable _______________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515


Dear Congressman / Congresswoman ____________________ :


I am writing to encourage you to co-sponsor H.R. 2275, the "Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research and Awareness Act." This bipartisan bill, introduced by Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) and lead Republican co-sponsors Reps. Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) and Michael Castle (R-DE), builds upon similar legislation from the 110th Congress that was co-sponsored by 174 members.

(Briefly tell your story about living with IBD / Tell story about friend/family member with IBD)


Please inform me of your actions on this critical legislation as soon as you have made a decision regarding co-sponsorship. My family is counting on your support! I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,


YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS

PissBottleMan

DATE

The Honorable _______________
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510


Dear Senator ____________________ :


As a constituent, I am writing to encourage you to co-sponsor S. 981, the "Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research and Awareness Act." This bipartisan bill, introduced by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and lead Republican co-sponsor Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), builds upon similar legislation from the 110th Congress that was co-sponsored by 14 senators.

(Briefly tell your story about living with IBD / Tell story about friend/family member with IBD)


Please inform me of your actions on this critical legislation as soon as you have made a decision regarding co-sponsorship. My family is counting on your support! I look forward to hearing from you.


Sincerely,


YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS

PissBottleMan

IBD Bill is up to 70 co-sponsors in the House -- 12 signed on this week! We still need more!

Cheers,

PBM

Tuolumne Mama

Thanks PBM for the heads up. I am in the process of testing for this disease but had to put it on hold since I got the flu and shingles, as my immune system is in the tank right now. I will look into the links and send my legislators and senators notes to get this movement going. Thanks again.

Foxy Mop

Got it up on the Street Team!

http://www.fancorps.com/orderstats/4ef8 ... 95a89fe749

PissBottleMan

Thank you so kindly!

Educating our legislators is so very important. We need to spread as much awareness as possible and get this bill signed into law.

PBM

blondieblue227

Here’s another site to locate your Senator and his/her email.

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_i ... rs_cfm.cfm

PissBottleMan

Great link blondieblue227.

Here is a helpful link with advice on communicating with Congress effectively.

Cheers,

PBM

Tuolumne Mama

Sent emails to Senators Specter and Casey asking to see their names added to this important cause given my medical issues and family history. Will let you know when I hear back from them. Thanks for your work on this PBM.

PissBottleMan

Tuolumne Mama wrote:

Sent emails to Senators Specter and Casey asking to see their names added to this important cause given my medical issues and family history. Will let you know when I hear back from them. Thanks for your work on this PBM.

Great job! Thank you for taking part in this.

Awareness and education are key factors! If we can spread the word, progress can be made. Thank you for your time and efforts. It means a lot to me!

Cheers,

Brent

PissBottleMan

Great magazine for advocates: Crohn's Advocate. You can receive the magazine in the mail or download it online!

Cheers,

B

Ok

Just catching up on this post, but great cause and good luck with the efforts in Congress.

PissBottleMan

Ok wrote:

Just catching up on this post, but great cause and good luck with the efforts in Congress.

Thank you for your support. If nothing else, I hope, at the very least, we educate and help someone recognize symptoms.

Keep those letter, calls and emails going!

Cheers,

B

PissBottleMan

For all my Canadian friends (Thanks Craig):

The London chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is excited to announce the return
of Guts on Ice for a third year.
 
On November 16th, families can come down to the John Labatt Centre for family skating and will have the
opportunity to meet some members of the London Knights and "The Great One's" father, Walter Gretzky.

All proceeds go the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of Canada!

PBM

PissBottleMan

Update:

7 more co-sponsors of the IBD Bill last week! We're up to 77 in the House and 8 in the Senate!

PBM

PissBottleMan

Letter from Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) about IBD Bill.

The key is to raise awareness and educate legislators about Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Keep those letters, emails and calls going!

Cheers,

Brent

NoK

Just wanted to say good luck with getting the IBD Bill through! My postdoctoral research project is on the aetiology of IBD, specifically Crohn's disease.

PissBottleMan

NoK wrote:

My postdoctoral research project is on the aetiology of IBD, specifically Crohn's disease.

Interesting...as strange as it sounds, I'd actually like to read what you come up with. Good luck on the project and thanks for your support!

Cheers,

Brent

inhiding 1976

Wow

PissBottleMan

inhiding 1976 wrote:

Wow

"Wow"...good or "Wow"...bad.

:?:



Edit: Nevermind.

Cheers,

Brent

PissBottleMan

A more generic health-care reform letter from Congressman John Tanner.

PBM

PissBottleMan

I have a scheduled conference call tonight with members of the CCFA on ways to be a more effective advocate.

I'll post notes from the call that will help all of you great volunteer advocates!

Thanks to all who have helped thus far!

Cheers,

Brent

PissBottleMan

Just checked the Wishlist Foundation Street Team page. Big thumbs up to everyone who has taken the initiative to write their local legislator in support of this bill!

Thank you so much!

Cheers,

Brent

PissBottleMan

Took part in my Advocacy conference call last night and learned a great deal.

To read, in detail, about my call please read my blog!

We need personalize this disease, meet with legislators and tell OUR stories.

This is a bi-partisan bill! Early co-sponsors include legislators who have family, friends or staff that are living with IBD.

Thank you for keeping this as a "Sticky" and for everyone's help.

Cheers,

Brent