We are just back from a very important and memorable trip to Washington, D.C.! Through Nancy Goodman, the executive director of Kids V Cancer, we learned that some very important legislation regarding childhood cancer research and care was before Congress, and we decided to try to make a difference. Christy first reached out to her extensive online network and prompted many of her contacts to write to Congress urging them to prioritize children and families in the fight. Then, we hopped on a plane and went to Washington to thank certain members of Congress and urge them to do all they can for families like us!

We didn’t quite know what to expect, but we showed up on Monday to the House of Representatives office building complex and met lots of congressional staffers, who were very kind and generous with their time (and candy!). Then, on Tuesday, we met with Representatives Sean Casten of Illinois and Mike Levin of California, and Congressman Levin even took Charlotte and Alexander onto the House floor to help him cast a vote!

We all learned something very important: Our representatives are truly in Washington to represent us. Their offices are open. They are reachable. Not everyone has the wherewithal to travel to D.C. to speak to them in person, but it’s very important for some people to do that and bring the issues facing their constituents to life. That’s what we did. There is bipartisan support for children and families with cancer, but we believe we made a difference by putting a real, live face to an issue that may not grab as many headlines as some but that constituents of every single congressperson face.

In the near future, our experience in Washington will be memorialized in a very special way–stay tuned!