You Too Can Become An Advocate!

For those of you who are looking for a way to help support newborn screening in the United States, here's an advocacy opportunity for you!

The March of Dimes has helped to put reauthorization of the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act in front of Congress for a vote.  You can follow this LINK to the March of Dimes' advocacy page and submit a form letter to your representatives to encourage them to support passage of this legislation.

From their website:
Today, Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and Mike Simpson (R-ID) introduced the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1218) – legislation that renews critical federal programs to ensure all infants receive comprehensive and lifesaving newborn screening. 

For the past half-century, virtually every one of the more than 4 million infants born in the United States has undergone newborn screening. Screening detects conditions in newborns that, if left untreated, can cause disability, developmental delay or even death. Approximately 1 in every 300 newborns in the United States has a condition that can be detected through newborn screening. No child should suffer or die when that can be prevented with these simple, cost-effective tests.

The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act extends federal programs that provide assistance to states to improve and expand their newborn screening programs; support parent and provider education; and ensure laboratory quality and surveillance for newborn screening programs.
 
When you take action, please feel free to customize your letter with your family’s personal experience with newborn screening. It’s important for members of Congress to hear that these tests are valued by families for both the health information they may deliver and the peace of mind they give to families whose babies are given a clean bill of health.

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of newborn screening in the United States -- urge your Representative to ensure all babies continue to receive critical newborn screenings by asking them to cosponsor the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1218) today!

I hope that you will join me in supporting this important legislation!  The process is very simple - click on the "Take Action" link, fill in your name and address (to help the system locate the appropriate representatives for your location) and contact information and click submit.  You can also modify the form letter to make it more personal.  I was sure to mention in mine that I am the grateful parent of a child whose life was saved thanks to newborn screening!