 |
Activists Unite in Support of Parity
By Morgan Sheets  The Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) national
campaign experienced an exciting boost in April. Both New
York and Pennsylvania held rallies in
support of prosthetic parity bills, and a new state has stepped
forward in the fight for parity.
On April 17, activists from all over New York State came
together in Albany to demonstrate their support for Assembly Bill
1274 and Senate Bill 1672. Buses came from both the Hudson Valley
Region and New York City. Speakers included the bills lead sponsor,
Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther; activist and Eugenia Tice-Shepard,
PT, DPT, and an array of other individuals.
One week later, on April 24, a rally was held at the
Pennsylvania state capitol in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania campaign
committee, along with the Amputee Support Team, a local support
group, held a Day of Action at the end of March in preparation for
the rally. They made calls to local activists to publicize the
event, helped enter data from the very successful statewide
petition drive, and completed an outreach mailing to ACA
members.
The amazing dedication of our activists truly makes a
difference! The rally was a huge success. The lead sponsor and
several other legislators have committed to passing HB 317 this
year!
Buses came in from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and local
facilities closed for the day to allow their staff members to
attend. Speakers included Rep. Bernie ONeill, Rep. Fred McIlhattan,
and Sean Brame, a fifth grader and a trilateral amputee who lost
both feet, his right hand, and most of his left hand to an
infection. Sean is a truly courageous individual. We are proud to
fight alongside him for this important bill!
In other news, Maryland is joining the fight
for prosthetic parity. The ACA is holding an organizing meeting in
June to bring together local activists and healthcare professionals
to launch a campaign with the goal of introducing a bill in the
2008 legislative session. This makes Maryland the 24th
state to join the national campaign. We are also talking with
activists in Arizona, Vermont, and
Montana.
Morgan Sheets is the national advocacy director for ACAs
Action Plan for People with Limb Loss (APPLL) initiative. She can
be reached at APPLL@amputee-coalition.org. For more
information, visit www.amputee-coalition.org/advocacy/index.html. 
Table Of Contents - May 2007
|
|
