Our 2023 DC Celebration is fast approaching and you won’t want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to commemorate this landmark achievement for the lymphedema community!
The reception on Monday, May 22nd will be a time to celebrate with fellow advocates. You will also learn more about how and why you should participate in the upcoming Public Comment Period, which is a crucial step in ensuring proper implementation of the Lymphedema Treatment Act.
On Tuesday May 23rd you will have the opportunity to meet with and thank your congressional offices, and encourage them to support future legislation that would benefit lymphedema patients. That day will also include a Congressional Awards Ceremony in the Capitol Building to recognize the members of Congress and staff who were instrumental in passing the Lymphedema Treatment Act. Guests will include current and former members of Congress, congressional staff, and advocates from around the country.
The registration deadline is Sunday, May 7th. That is also the last day to book a hotel room in our group block. However, the discounted hotel rooms are nearly sold out, so don’t delay!
Additional details are below my signature and can also be viewed online on our 2023 DC Celebration page. Please follow the links to register for the event and book your hotel room. Note that these are separate steps.
All advocates who supported passage of the Lymphedema Treatment Act are invited to join us. If you are not already registered, please don’t delay!
Heather Ferguson
Founder & Executive Director
Lymphedema Advocacy Group
LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org
ITINERARY:
Monday, May 22nd, 6:00pm-9:00pm: The Lymphedema Advocacy Group will host a dinner reception at the Hilton Garden Inn to celebrate passage of the Lymphedema Treatment Act and prepare our advocates for the next steps. Those steps include meetings the following day on Capitol Hill and other important advocacy opportunities later this year that you can participate in from home. Doors will open at 6:00 pm and the program will begin promptly at 6:30 pm. Anyone who wishes to attend the events the following day must attend this reception.
Tuesday, May 23rd, 9:00am-3:00pm: This optional second day will be spent on Capitol Hill and include an awards ceremony with our congressional champions in the Capitol building, group photos inside and (weather permitting) outside in front of the Capitol, and thank you meetings with your Representative’s office and both of your Senators’ offices. If you register for this day you must be available for the entire 9:00am-3:00pm timespan. A more detailed itinerary for Tuesday will be provided after you register, closer to the event date.
REGISTRATION:
Click here to use our Eventbrite registration form, then click on the orange “Reserve Your Spot” button. The registration deadline is Sunday, May 7th. Note that there is a $25 per person fee to attend the event. Should you need to cancel, the fee is refundable, minus a nominal Eventbrite service fee, if you cancel by May 15th. There will be no refunds after May 15th. Advanced notice is critical for our planning, so please don’t delay in registering. Note that if you need to reserve a hotel room this must be done separately.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Our event will be hosted at the Hilton Garden Inn in Arlington, VA – click here to reserve your hotel room.* We have a discounted block of rooms that can be reserved until Sunday, May 7th or until the rooms are sold out. A list of alternative hotels in the same area can be found here. All are walking distance from the Hilton Garden Inn and within a three-block area. You are free to stay at the hotel of your choice, or commute in daily. Note that registration is separate from reserving your hotel room and must be completed using the link in the above paragraph. If you would like assistance in finding a roommate, email us at info@LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org and put “roommate” in the subject line.
* As of 4/23/23, there are still some rooms available in our group block for the night of May 22nd, with a much more limited quantity available at the group rate for the nights of the 21st and 23rd.
TRANSPORTATION:
Participants are responsible for all of their own transportation arrangements. If flying in and staying at the Hilton Garden Inn a free shuttle is available through the hotel to and from Reagan International Airport (DCA). To travel to and from the Hill, attendees can ride the Metro, use Uber or Lyft, or take a taxicab. The hotel is a 3 block walk from the Crystal City Metro Station. Driving in to DC is not recommended due to the difficulty of finding parking.
SCHEDULING MEETINGS:
The Lymphedema Advocacy Group will schedule all congressional meetings and you will be grouped with fellow constituents from the same state or district.
MATERIALS FOR MEETING:
You will receive necessary meeting materials during the dinner reception on May 22nd, however, participants are encouraged to bring their own thank-you letter for each of their congressional offices. Note that you will need three copies with each one addressed to one of your members of Congress – your Representative and each of your two Senators.
PREPARING FOR MEETINGS:
No prior experience is necessary! Everyone is welcome, including children. We will go over what to say during the dinner reception on May 22nd.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Once registered, you will receive email communications with additional information. If you have questions at any time, or need assistance with anything above, please email us at info@LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org.
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