IMF Constituent Template Letter to Member of Congress
Date
The Honorable INSERT FIRST/LAST NAME
United States House of Representatives/Senate
Room Number and Office Building
Washington, DC 20515/20510
Dear Representative/Senator LAST NAME:
I am writing to you as your constituent and as a myeloma (patient, doctor, nurse, caregiver, etc)
to INSERT YOUR PURPOSE FOR WRITING (If your letter pertains to a specific piece of
legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g., House bill: H. R. ____, Senate bill: S.____).
INSERT PERSONAL INFORMATION HERE: Tell your own story or a patient's (being
mindful not to use anyone's real name) and explain the relevance to the issue at hand.
Personal stories and illustrations of local impact are remembered more easily by
policymakers and their staff than statistics and generic examples. Moreover, personal stories
often are what spur policymakers to action, not statistics. The reality is that our
policymakers often legislate by anecdote.
Myeloma is a cancer in the bone marrow affecting production of red cells, white cells, and stem
cells. It is also called "multiple myeloma" because multiple areas of bone marrow may be involved.
Myeloma is the second most common blood cancer after lymphomas. Each year, approximately
20,000 Americans are diagnosed with myeloma and 10,000 lose their battle with this disease. At any
one time there are over 100,000 myeloma patients undergoing treatment for their disease in the U.S.
Thank you very much for your attention to my correspondence and for your continued commitment
to finding a cure for myeloma. If I can be of any assistance to you or your staff, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
STREET ADDRESS
CITY, STATE ZIP CODE
PHONE NUMBER
E-MAIL
20

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