Be an Advocate

Advocacy means the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal. Advocacy works to influence the introduction, enactment, or modification of legislation, for causes related to bladder cancer. Advocacy can occur at the Federal, State, or County level. From time to time, BCAN asks you to raise your voice on behalf of bladder cancer patients and their families. This may entail contacting your legislator, sharing your bladder cancer experience and asking him or her to vote a specific way on a bill. We send alerts through our newsletters and social media as new issues emerge that need the support and voice of the bladder cancer community.

Our legislative priorities

How can you help?  It’s easy.  Call, email, or do both.

• Call your elected representative

  Call the House of Representatives switchboard and ask to be connected to your Representative at (202) 224-3121, TTY: (202)-225-1904.  Tell the person who you speak with that as a constituent, you want an increase in federal funding for bladder cancer research.

• Send an email to your representative

  It’s easy to send an email to your representative.  Simply click here, enter your mailing address and the select your U.S. House representative (not Senate).

   

• What to say to them in an email

  Some sample language is below.  Feel free to copy and paste it into your email and add your own personal story as well.

  ===== copy what is below =====

  As your constituent, and a supporter of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN), I am writing to ask that you support a much-needed increase in federal funding for bladder cancer research.

  Bladder cancer is the 7th most frequently diagnosed cancer, but is currently ranked 24th in federal research funding. The research funded by the federal government plays a critical role in bridging a crucial gap while advancing critical bladder cancer research that may one day lead to the cure that will save hundreds of thousands of lives.

  More research funding means more lives saved.

  =====copy what is above =====

If you have any questions about this, please call BCAN at 301-215-9099 or send an email to info@bcan.org.