News & Blog
Calling All IC Advocates for ICA’s National Call-In Day!
Take Action on Tuesday, April 19 – ICA’s National Call-In Day
Contact your legislators on Tuesday, April 19 and join IC advocates from across the country who will be on Capitol Hill asking Members of Congress to:
- Ensure the National Pain Strategy is carried out by calling for an implementation plan and corresponding budget;
- Provide $34.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in FY 2017. NIH should have the resources they need to advance critical research projects on an annual basis, including those on IC.
- Include Interstitial Cystitis in the Department of Defense (DOD) Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program.
- Provide $1 million for CDC’s IC program in FY 2017.
Call and email your legislators on Tuesday, April 19, or participate via social media by tweeting or posting on their Facebook pages.
To determine your House Representative: Visit www.house.gov, and enter your zip code in the box on the top-right corner of the webpage. Click ‘go’ and the phone number of your House office will appear. You may need to enter your full address if more than one Representative is listed.
To determine your Two Senators: Visit www.senate.gov and select your state in the drop-down list in the top-right corner of the webpage. Click ‘go’ and the phone numbers of your Senators will appear.
Call-in Instructions:
- Call your legislator’s offices
- Tell the person that answers the phone that you are a constituent.
- Ask to speak with the health staffer and deliver the message below. If you can’t reach the health staffer, it is OK to deliver the message to someone else or to a voicemail.
- Recommended message – [brackets] indicate where to insert specific information:
- I am a constituent
- I am contacting you to ask you to ensure the National Pain Strategy is carried out, provide $34.5 billion for the NIH in FY 2017, include interstitial cystitis in the DOD Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program, and provide $1 million for CDC’s interstitial cystitis program in FY 2017.
- Interstitial Cystitis is a condition that consists of recurring pelvic pain, pressure, or discomfort in the bladder and pelvic region, often associated with urinary frequency (needing to go often) and urgency.
- [Briefly describe how having IC and IC pain have affected your life]
- Please keep me posted on the actions you take.
- You can reach me at [phone and/or email].
Social Media Instructions – for Facebook or Twitter:
Like your legislators Facebook pages and post a status on Facebook and Twitter asking your legislators to ensure the National Pain Strategy is carried out, provide $34.5 billion for the NIH in FY 2017, include interstitial cystitis in the DOD Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program, and provide $1 million for CDC’s interstitial cystitis program in FY 2017. Here are some examples of what you can post:
“@(put the name of the legislator you are trying to reach) ensure the National Pain Strategy is carried out #icawareness @ichelp”
“@(put the name of the legislator you are trying to reach) provide $34.5 billion for the NIH in FY 2017 #icawareness @ichelp”
“@(put the name of the legislator you are trying to reach) include interstitial cystitis in the DOD Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program #icawareness @ichelp”
“@(put the name of the legislator you are trying to reach) provide $1 million for CDC’s interstitial cystitis program in FY 2017 #icawareness @ichelp”