Contact Your Elected Officials to Increase Federal Funding for Research

For patients with serious blood diseases, research holds the greatest hope for better treatments and cures. You can help make a difference by encouraging the Congress to increase funding for research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Congress currently is working on funding legislation, so now is the time to contact your representative and senators and urge them to do all they can to support the highest possible funding level for NIH in FY 2010.

To take action, simply fill out your contact information in the right column of the screen and personalize the form letter below. Once you have completed these steps, press the "Send This Message" button. This site will send the letter directly to your representative and senators, and a confirmation will be e-mailed to you within a few minutes of sending the letter. If you have questions, please contact ASH Government Relations Manager, Stephanie Kart, at 202-776-0544 or skart@hematology.org.

Tell me more

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

As a patient with a serious blood disease, I write to urge your continued support for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by providing the highest possible funding level increase for NIH in FY 2010

In the last five years, Congress has only provided nominal increases that have not let the NIH keep pace with biomedical inflation and that have amounted to flat funding for our country's premier biomedical research institutes.  This has meant that researchers have not been able to pursue opportunities that could affect my disease and the health of all Americans.

For hematology, sub-inflationary funding increases at NIH will effectively freeze research resources into cures and treatments for millions of Americans with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; bleeding disorders such as hemophilia; clotting problems such as thrombosis; and, genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease, and Cooley's anemia, among others.

Unless NIH is adequately funded, it will be extremely difficult for hematologists and other health professionals to create research advances.

Hematology research offers enormous promise to better understand, prevent, treat, and cure a number of blood-related and other conditions.  It is critical that our country make this a priority.

Again, I urge your continued support of NIH by providing an increase of the highest possible funding level for NIH in FY 2010. Your efforts will make a huge difference in my life.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

Your Congressperson
Your Senators

Complete the following to send this message. If you have participated before, just type in your email address and set your prefix, then submit the form.

Email:*

Prefix:*

First Name:*

Last Name:*

Address Line 1:*

Address Line 2:

City:*

State:*

ZIP:*

Check this box if you would like to receive periodic updates or action alerts

* Required Field

American Society of Hematology

Contact Your Elected Officials to Increase Federal Funding for Research