Advocacy Issues with Inflamma... Video Transcript

Participants

Bettina Gregory , Sue Kelly , Gavin Lindberg , Suzanne Rosenthal , Gail Simons

Summary

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) has been working on behalf of people with inflammatory bowel disease for decades. One of their latest efforts is working to get Congress to pass the "IBD Act". Learn what this act would mean to people living with IBD.

Webcast Transcript

BETTINA GREGORY: Hello, I'm Bettina Gregory, and welcome to our webcast. This is the first of a two-part series on advocacy and insurance issues relating to inflammatory bowel disease. This program is sponsored by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Joining me are Suzanne Rosenthal and Gavin Lindberg. Suzanne is a co-founder of CCFA and a former chairman of its board. She remains extremely active in the organization. We're going to be talking with Suzanne about ways you can make your voice heard in raising public awareness about IBD and winning support from your representatives in the federal government.

Gavin Lindberg is CCFA's representative in Washington, and on behalf of the Foundation, Gavin has played a major role on promoting a bill on inflammatory bowel disease that has been introduced in the United States Congress. Gavin also helped organization CCFA's recent National IBD Advocacy Conference in Washington. The Conference was designed to raise support for the IBD Act on Capitol Hill.

Well, before we talk with Suzanne and Gavin about advocacy and the IBD Act, we want to roll you some tape from the Advocacy Conference. I think you're going to get a sense of just how much energy and enthusiasm CCFA can generate in support of IBD awareness.

RODGER DeROSE: I believe the success of the conference will be measured in terms of the additional number of Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen that sign the bill.

MARY ANNE MOBLEY: It's amazing what's happening. This is an extraordinary event, and we are very flattered and honored to be here.

GARY COLLINS: Feel very empowered. We're very excited about what we're doing here tonight.

BRIANNA MOFFITT: We definitely can make a difference for everybody with Crohn's. People without Crohn's will be more educated. It'll be great.

GAVIN LINDBERG: Everyone is extremely pleased to be here and wants to learn more about the issues, and they're ready to go up to the Hill tomorrow and make a difference.

SUZANNE ROSENTHAL: These people, our advocates, have come to Washington so that they can tell their story to their Congressmen and to the United States Senators, to tell them the terrible impact that this disease has had on their lives.

CHRIS GEDNEY: Right now the groups that we have here from Arizona, we're meeting with five of our representatives from the state. And as of right now, none of those five are on board for the IBD Act. We're going to come out of this morning five for five and convert them all.

US SENATOR THAD COCHRANE: It's an educational experience for those of us who are serving in the Congress to hear from those who are affected by the disease. The difficulties they face, the problems they have.

SUZANNE ROSENTHAL: And the impact has got to be one of great passion and compassion.

LINDA MOFFITT: And if we get the support that we need, we'll get the research money that possibly someday can find a cure for my children

RACHEL HETTICH: Well, I'm excited that in the future if this bill passes that there will be a cure for Crohn's and colitis, and it will no longer have to be a big factor in everybody's life.

MARK MOFFITT: The fact that we're all in this together and we're all here to support the bill means a lot to me. And I'm very proud of all of us.

RODGER DeROSE: They are actually acting as the initiators of being the patient's voice for the other million Americans that suffer with this disease. So we're making great progress.

BETTINA GREGORY: Well, you can certainly see the energy and enthusiasm.