On June 18 and 19, 2019, COPD champions converged on Washington, DC for two days of training, relationship building and advocacy. If COPD touched your life, you too can play a role in driving change in your community and in federal and state policies.
Despite being the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S., COPD research is underfunded and little to no investment is made in public health infrastructure to improve prevention, awareness, education, and quality of care. People with COPD are diagnosed too late, aren’t given the support and education they need to manage the disease and, too often, they don’t have access to the types of treatments and devices that allow them to live the best quality of life possible.
Together, we will create positive change for the 16 million people in the U.S. with COPD, and the millions more who haven’t even been diagnosed. You don’t have to travel to Washington, DC to be an advocate. This week we can all IMPACT COPD by acting right from your own home. Join the 40+ advocates in DC by calling and emailing your members of Congress to make sure they know that COPD is a health crisis in our country and that there is something they can do to help.
Our COPD Action Center makes it simple to make your voice heard.
- Visit the COPD Action Center. Here is the link.
- Enter your address and the system will automatically know your elected officials.
- We have created a template email and phone script for you, but make sure to add in a few details such as if you are a patient, caregiver, healthcare professional and why you care about improving the lives of people with COPD.
- The most effective way to create change is to place a short call to the offices of your elected officials using the information in the Action Center. You can follow up by sending the email too.
- Want to do more? Use the simple social media templates in the Action Center ask your friends and family to get involved.
COPD affects every congressional district in the nation. With your help, we can ensure every member of Congress knows what these 4 letters stand for and why they need to support funding for research and public health and improved access to vital COPD treatments like oxygen, non-invasive ventilation, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Don’t forget to let us know you participated on COPD360social and let us know if you get any response from your members of Congress!
