Thanks to all who read this email when I posted it the morning of the historic healthcare reform vote. So many of you sent me emails telling me you made calls. Your work paid off!
My husband Shannon and I were both on the evening news last night talking about the need for healthcare reform and young adult cancer.
Are you tired of me posting, writing, and speaking about the healthcare reform bill? I am. But too bad because cancer is a dead horse that needs beating and by passing healthcare reform and eliminating pre-existing conditions clauses, we will prevent thousands of cancer deaths. The bill ain’t perfect, but it is still likely the most historic and worthy bill of my lifetime.
Our Congress woman has been a long supporter of the bill but we knew we could make a difference by trying to target congress people other than our own. We were interviewed at a healthcare rally in a very conservative district, but the fight was successful. The congress woman issued an official press release saying she will vote yes!
The word from behind the scenes is that any one in favor of health reform needs to continue to do the following up until the time of the vote on Sunday late afternoon:
1. Keep calling congress!
2. It does not matter if your representative has already decided yes. Call others who have not decided.
3. Call the list of people below, tell them politely that you are a concerned citizen (cancer patient?), you are in favor of healthcare reform, you are not in their district but the eyes of the country are on them and their vote directly impacts you.
The last ten years of my life have been so impacted by cancer and health insurance issues. I am taking all of my anger and exhaustion from the experience to try to turn it into something good for the next cancer patients who will follow in my footsteps. It would mean the world to me if you would do the same. Let the calling begin!
Lots of love,
Kairol
Brian Baird – Washington (Vancouver, Olympia) - (202) 225-3536
Paul Kanjorski – Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Mount Pocono) - (570) 496-1011
John Tanner – Tennessee (Union City, Jackson, Millington) - 202-225-4714
Earl Pomeroy – North Dakota (Bismarck, Fargo) - (202) 225-2611
Lincoln Davis – Tennessee (Columbia, Jamestown, Rockwood) - 202.225.6831
Mike Michaud – Maine (Bangor, Lewiston, Presque Isle, Waterville) - 202-225-6306
Bill Foster – Illinois (Batavia, Dixon, Geneseo) - (202) 225-2976
Kathy Dahlkemper – Pennsylvania (Erie) - (202) 225-5406
Chris Carney – Pennsylvania (Clarks Summit, Shamokin, Williamsport) - (202) 225-3731 Chris Carney just changed his vote to yes! Thanks Rep Carney for supporting young adults with cancer!
Steve Driehaus – Ohio (Cincinnati) - (202) 225-2216
Stephen Lynch – Massachusetts (Brockton, Boston) - 202-225-8273
Rick Boucher – Virginia (Abingdon, Pulaski, Big Stone Gap) - 202-225-3861
Loretta Sanchez – California (Garden Grove) - (202) 225-2965
Dan Lipinski – Illinois (LaGrange, Oak Lawn, Chicago’s southwest side) - (202) 225 – 5701
Joe Donnelly – Indiana (South Bend, LaPorte, Michigan City, Kokomo) - (202) 225-3915
Marion Berry – Arkansas (Jonesboro, Cabot, Mountain Home) - (202) 225-4076
Jerry Costello – Illinois (Carbondale, Belleville, E. St. Louis, Granite City, Chester) - (202) 225-5661
Nick Rahall – West Virginia (Beckley, Bluefield, Huntington, Logan) - (202) 225-3452
Solomon Ortiz – Texas (Corpus Christi, Brownsville) – (202) 225-7742
Thanks Congressman Ortiz for declaring that you have changed your mind and will vote YES!
Alan Mollohan – West Virginia (Morgantown, Wheeling, Clarksburg, Parkersburg) - (202) 225-4172
“Everything Changes is, without doubt, the most forthright, emotionally sophisticated, and plain-old valuable book of its kind I've seen.”
March 21st, 2010 at 2:11 AM
you right cancer is dead horse that needs a good beating.and you know what i got a good at with its name on it that wants to be reunited if you know what i mean.we really need reform and if those clowns in washington wake up they would do something about it.other then waste my tax money on there health care
March 21st, 2010 at 7:47 AM
I’d add - if your representative has already declared he’ll vote Yes, give his office a call today to affirm that in your opinion, he’s making the right choice and you *support* him. Swing vote representatives (I’m surrounded by three here in upstate NY) are being lobbied, hard, by people outside of their districts - and even after declaring, are being lobbied to change their vote. They are all up for re-election this fall, and being threatened with loss of support from local lobbies, big organizations and voters.
Remind congressmen in your own districts that if they say Yes, you support them - and that you VOTE in their district.
March 21st, 2010 at 10:42 AM
Thanks guys for your comments! I put this post up at 2 AM and it had an additional name to call. Exciting that when I woke up this AM I got to remove the name of Marci Kaptur because she’s said she’ll vote YES! These calls are working.
March 21st, 2010 at 11:22 AM
Wow, can’t believe it is still snowing in Schaumburg?! (Just watched the evening news clip you linked to) I sent my “Take Action” e-mails to Congressmen through my medical associations, stating that I’m both a practicing physician AND a young adult patient, urging them to support the bill. Who knows, maybe it will make some difference…never can tell if it really does.
March 21st, 2010 at 8:59 PM
congrats to the dems who got the bill passed.
In a state like MA, where I live, where we already have a pre-existing health condition clause on our state laws and manditory health insurance (I am an employer here and have had cancer. don’t get me started about premium costs.).
I think Steven Lynch of MA is just all wrong. He’s the only MA- D congressperson who voted against it. Shame on him for basically standing against what good legislation we already have. PS he’s not a Boston congressman, he’s west of Boston, mostly working class suburbs, smaller western towns (with some poor parts), but some wealthy suburbs too. Shame on him.
March 21st, 2010 at 10:53 PM
Thank you, President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and the House and Senate Democratic leadership for taking an historic first step toward fixing our broken health care system. As the spouse of a young adult cancer patient, I am especially grateful that my family, and millions of other Americans, will not have to worry about being denied coverage due to a pre-existing health condition.
And, thank you Senator Ted Kennedy for passionately fighting for health care reform over your entire career. This victory could not have been achieved without your decades of tireless advocacy.
March 22nd, 2010 at 5:36 AM
And now, folks, let’s make sure to let our votes in the November mid-term congressional elections reflect our passion and commitment. Glad to have this one on the books, but the issues and the fight will continue going forward. Those congressmen who voted Yes are being threated with removal from office in November. I would urge you to remember that we need to continue to support the representatives who made the brave Yes decision, even though threatened by a tough re-election fight in November!
March 22nd, 2010 at 9:05 AM
Big Yay for passing.
Still shame on Rep. Lynch. But I was wrong, some of his district is boston proper. Luckily he’s not my congressman.