Join The National Psoriasis Foundation To Speak Out On Capitol Hill

The National Psoriasis Foundation is urging people who care about psoriasis to make their voice heard by joining the Foundation at its third annual Capitol Hill Day, Feb. 26-27, 2006. Foundation staff and volunteers from around the country will personally deliver a message to Congress on the seriousness of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, the importance of access to medications and the need for more federal research funding toward a cure. Deadline for registration is Jan. 26. "Constituent voices on Capitol Hill make all the difference," says Gail M.Zimmerman, president and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation. "People affected by these diseases need to stand up and be heard." Zimmerman encourages people to join the effort. "This is a powerful opportunity to increase our impact in Washington, D.C.," she says. Capitol Hill Day 2005 brought tangible results for the psoriasis community: More than two dozen U.S. representatives signed a joint letter in support of increased psoriasis research funding at the National Institutes ofHealth (NIH); related Senate appropriations report language was adopted; and the Senate passed a resolution recognizing August 2005 as Psoriasis Awareness Month. The 2005 event served as a spring board for further action, as psoriasis advocates sent nearly 10,000 messages to Congress through the PsoriasisFoundation Web site on behalf of psoriasis since last April. No experience is necessary to attend Capitol Hill Day. The Psoriasis Foundation provides training and information, and will pair volunteers together when they visit congressional offices. Limited scholarship money for expenses is available for people who qualify, on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, to register, or to inquire about a scholarship, go to http://www.psoriasis.org or call1-800-723-9166.