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Grassroots Advocacy

Published in Legislative Updates on April 18, 2019

Updated 7/6/22

I support custom breast prosthesesGrassroots advocacy is a term that is thrown around in politics, but what is it really? It is the process of communicating with the general public and asking them to contact their local, state or federal officials regarding a certain issue. Elected officials’ purpose should be to represent the views of their constituents. But how do they know what their constituents want unless their constituents speak out? 

We know that every woman who experiences a mastectomy should have ALL choices available to them, whether it be reconstruction, off-the-shelf breast prostheses, custom breast prostheses, or to go flat. Right now, Medicare doesn’t cover custom breast prostheses. We want to see this changed and it cannot be changed without legislation.

In order for the Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act to move to the next level, we need the majority to sign on to the legislation. That means that 218 representatives in the House of Congress and 51 Senators must sign-on as co-sponsors. To make that happen, they need to hear from you.

Current Senate Co-Sponsors

Current House of Representative Co-Sponsors

Your mission: We need each member (that means you) to generate 100 messages to your Members of Congress asking them to sign-on to this legislation. We’ve made it very easy for you.

  1. Take Action: Send a letter to your elected officials asking them to support the Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act.
  2. Call your elected officials to request that they sign on to the legislation. Let them know how breast cancer and access to custom breast prostheses have affected your life.
  3. Like and Follow the Let Her Decide campaign on Facebook and Twitter, and invite your friends too!
  4. Print these counter cards and put them out! There are two versions – print them front and back. Give them to each customer and explain that their voices matter.
  5. Print this infographic to post in your fitting rooms.
  6. Tell all of your customers about this important bill and how they can help by taking action. (Hint: Have counter cards ready to give to all of your customers.)
  7. Contact local breast cancer support groups and ask if you can come and speak about the Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act and Let Her Decide Campaign.

One voice is a whisper, but many voices are a roar! If you want to support or have questions, the Essentially Women team is here to support you.

Essentially Women
800-988-4484
essentiallywomen@vgm.com

TAGS

  1. breast cancer
  2. custom breast prosthesis
  3. let her decide

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