We're on the brink of a major step toward Eliminating Eating Disorders, but we need your help for the final push before April 1. It will only take a few minutes.
On Tuesday, February 25th, 2009 the Eating Disorders Coalition held a press conference with Congressman Kennedy in the Capitol Building announcing the introduction of the first ever comprehensive eating disorders bill in the history of Congress. The Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders Act otherwise called the FREED Act, (H.R. 1193) is now in the House and we need you to contact your Representative and urge them to show their support for this bill.
WRITE A LETTER:
Rework the sample letter below and make it your own and send it to your Representative in the House. To find out who your Representative is go to www.house.gov and put in your zip code. Then look up your Representative in that directory and go to their website. Here you can contact them through email. Cut and paste the letter below into the email. I encourage you to put a sentence or two (not more since short and concise is always better when communicating with Members of Congress) about your own personal experience with an eating disorder if you have one. This makes the communication much more personal and real for them.
THE SAMPLE LETTER
Your Name
Street Address
City
March 3, 2009
The Honorable First Name Last Name
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman(woman) XX,
As a member of the Eating Disorders Coalition and someone who has personally suffered the impact of living with an eating disorder, I am writing you today to ask your support for the Federal Response to Eliminate Eating
Disorders Act (H.R. 1193). This is the first comprehensive eating
disorders bill in the history of Congress. By focusing on research, education, prevention and treatment this bill is a beacon of hope for the millions of people currently suffering from an eating disorder.
It is estimated that 9 million Americans suffer from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and other eating disorders. Eating disorders are associated with a host of medical complications including cardiac arrhythmia, cognitive impairment, osteoporosis, infertility, heart failure and most seriously death. In fact, anorexia nervosa has the highest death rate of all mental disorders, upwards of 20%.
Research shows that eating disorders can be successfully overcome with early detection and adequate and appropriate treatment. Unfortunately eating disorders are often undiagnosed by health professionals and/or access to treatment is limited. Less than half of all people with eating disorders receive the treatment needed.
The Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders (the FREED Act) can change these state of affairs. H.R. 1193 will save lives by providing more funds for research so that we can better understand, prevent and treat eating disorders, grant programs that provide training for health professionals, and steps toward better access to treatment coverage.
We urge you to sign on as a cosponsor of the FREED Act. I look forward to
hearing from you. Thank you again for your consideration.
Warm regards,
First and Last Name
YOUR EFFORTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
These advocacy efforts can help us pass the FREED Act!
Thank you so much for all your actions - every one of you writing a letter makes a difference. With enough people taking this step we will make ourselves heard and will eventually pass this bill!
Thank you so much for all your actions - every one of you writing a letter makes a difference. With enough people taking this step we will make ourselves heard and will eventually pass this bill!
Posted by: buy maplestory money | June 28, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Thank you so much for all your actions - every one of you writing a letter makes a difference. With enough people taking this step we will make ourselves heard and will eventually pass this bill!
Posted by: aion kinah | June 30, 2009 at 09:02 PM