The Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC) bi-annual National Lobby Day will be on April 24, 2012 in Washington DC. Twice a year professionals and advocates in the eating disorder field travel to Washington DC to talk with Members of Congress. Their objectives are to increase the awareness of the presence of eating disorders in the United States, bolster funding for research and to change the way people with eating disorders have access care.
More specifically, EDC Lobby Day supports the Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders (FREED Act) - the first comprehensive eating disorder bill that will promote research, improve access to treatment and prevention/education programs. This year, The Emily Program Foundation has awarded four scholarships to support volunteers participating in Lobby Day. This year’s theme is, “The Faces of Eating Disorders: Will the Person with an Eating Disorder Please Stand Up?”
Our message to Members of Congress is this; Think only young, rich, white women suffer from eating disorders? Think again. Eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and eating disorders not otherwise specified, do not discriminate. They cut across age, race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation and even political party. Anyone can suffer from an eating disorder.
For more information about the FREED Act and its impacts on eating disorder research, treatment, and education, visit the Eating Disorder Coalition (EDC) blog.
How can you get involved?
Contact your representatives and encourage them to support the FREED Act.
To find out who your US Representative is, visit http://www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org/letter-writing-campaign.htm
To find out who your Senator is , visit http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
You can also join the EDC’s letter writing campaign by visiting http://www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org/letter-writing-campaign.htm
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