JDRF Promise Meetings
Scott Benner
As part of their effort to educate our Senators and Congressmen about type I diabetes the JDRF schedules group meetings between the people effected by type I and their local legislators. You may remember that Arden and I attended one last year with our Senator. So if you are the parent of a child with type I please consider attending a meeting and sharing your story. Who knows... you may be the reason that the Special Diabetes Program doesn’t experience a cut in federal funding. From the JDRF: Because you or someone you know lives with type 1 diabetes everyday, you know that we need a cure. JDRF’s top priority is securing the necessary research funding to discover a cure for type 1. Along our path toward a cure there will also be milestones achieved that will make it easier for people with type 1 to manage the disease, reduce complications, and enjoy a better quality of life. The 2009-2010 Promise to Remember Me Campaign will be focused on both of these priorities. JDRF advocates will be scheduling meetings with their Members of Congress to: • Ask them to co-sponsor legislation to, once again, extend the Special Diabetes Program and avoid a 35% reduction in federal funding for type 1 research; and • Make sure that the needs of those with diabetes are included in legislation to reform America’s healthcare system, including providing access to quality and affordable coverage without exclusions or penalties for pre-existing conditions. The goal of the Promise Campaign is to communicate this message through personal meetings with Members of Congress when they’re at home. Signing up to attend a Promise Meeting only takes a moment and you can do it at this link.