Advocacy and Washington DC

I attended the NBCC 2012 Annual Advocacy Summit in early May.  I do a great deal of work with patient advocacy and to raise funds and awareness but my work with advocacy is limited to signing on to petition and my involvement with the case against gene patenting.

Marj and I (it was VERY windy)

NBCC's goal is to end breast cancer in 2020 by focusing on what causes cancer, creating a vaccine and/or focusing on breast metastasis.  On lobby day the Texan group spoke to our Texas Representative to get those of them that have not already signed on to the HR 3077, the Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act.  I attended five sessions and we spoke with the assistance each time.  One of the five were real receptive and it was promising for those who didn't sign on to sign on.  Our work paid off because to this date, we have 14 of 32 Texas members of the US House of Representatives to sign on.

Thanking a Representative for signing on already

Supreme Court

Being at the Advocacy Summit, participating in lobby day and sitting inside the Supreme Court really resonated that to me that one person can make a difference in this word.  It took one person's vision and passion to create an avalanche of change.  All the strides, all the clinical trials, all the medical advances are because of people that voiced their opinion and made things happen. 

My goal is to continue to make a difference each day but I'm much more hungry to find a way to make a lasting impact. Photos to come

Sue and I

Shala and I

Also, talk about small world!  I was able to meet up with a dear friend in that lives in Albuquerque but was in DC with her students!  I was also able to meet up with an old high school friend that lives in DC!  My trip to DC was very memorable for many reason.  Geez DC really needs to have more museums and things to see and do.