Sandy goes to Washington, D C

Good Evening my friends trust you all are well and breathing easy these days. Myself I got a little run down from the big Washington D.C. trip but let me tell you it sure was worth it. It was the first United For Lung Health Advocasy Day 2008. There were 18 various organizations that joined us as well as about 70 participants, patients, caregivers, etc. All the delegates for the states were teamed up and of course I was team Florida. My team consisted of Bob Campbell who is an Alpha 1 patient and John Walsh who is the President & CEO, co - founder Alpha 1 Foundation what an awesome team. Our goal was to meet with various Senators, Congressman/women, Representatives, to spread the message about funding needed for Lung health research, HR 552 Pulmanry and Cardiac Rehab. Act., HR 3904 Family Asthma Act, Environment/Radon increased funding for HR6 The Diesel Emission Reduction Act.

I was asked how COPD/Emphysema has changed my life, well we all know that answer except for the lay person. I heard someone say is Asthma catchy ! The first day I met with Congresswomen Illiana Ros Leichtin was an awesome lady, I know she will help us she was so concerned about learning what she could about emphysema etc., we then met with her staff member Jay O'Callaghan (hope I spelled this correctly) just let me know Jay..lol He to was very concerned and I told him how I live day to day, antibiotics in one hand and a rescue inhaler in the other because I never know when I may have to use on or the other, in fact today I started the antibiotics as I came down with a cold from mingling with so many different follks and being on the airplane and in the airports..

The following day we met with Senator Nelsons staff and then on to Senator Martinez's staff. I feel that we did make an impression.

I was so happy to speak on behalf of those of you who could not make the trip or did not know about the trip, in the future I will be sure to post about anything that you all might be interesed in participating in.

One other bill we did lobby for was HR1282 which expands open enrollment of Medigap to cover disabled Medicare Benificiaries.

That about wraps it up for tonite my friends, Rember till we meet again,

~Inhale 123

~Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy