Family Advocacy Day
No one can tell the stories of children's hospitals better than the individuals most touched by their presence. Every year, the National Association Children's Hospitals hosts three advocacy days in Washington, D.C. Advocacy Day programs feature educational briefings, remarks from lawmakers and Washington insiders, and opportunities to network with colleagues.
2012 Children's Hospital Association's Family Advocacy Day, July 23-25
This year, Claire Bevec, from Kenosha, Wis., is taking her story to Washington, D.C. She will join nearly 30 other child patients and their families from across the country to ask Congress to protect health care for children. National health care programs our kids rely on face cuts that would impact access to timely, quality pediatric health care. Listen to Claire's story here.
Watch the following video to hear Claire tell her story in a letter to first lady Michelle Obama:
Why Claire is speaking out on behalf of Wisconsin's kids
- Half of all hospitalized children in Wisconsin are dependent on Medicaid, which covers 1 in 3 children in the U.S.
- Sixty percent of the residents from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin training program stay in Wisconsin and join the medical community that takes care of Wisconsin's kids. Many go into primary care and join pediatric practices around the state. Several stay on to train in specialty care while others train to provide emergency services to children. Reduction in Children's Hospital of Wisconsin's ability to train residents will directly reduce the number of pediatricians in our state.
- Children already face waits of up to three months to see the physician they need; undermining Medicaid and Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education may reduce access further.
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| Senator Herb Kohl welcomes the Bevec family to Washington, D.C. | Claire, along with her brother and sister, present Senator Kohl with photos of Children's Hospital families he visited with during past Advocacy Days. |
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| Claire arrives in Washington, D.C. | The Bevec family and Congressman Paul Ryan meet. Photo by Tom Williams. |
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| Claire meets with Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin. | Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin listens as the Bevec family discusses the importance of protecting children's health care. |
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| A staffer from Congressman Ron Kind's office greet the Bevec family. | Congressman Tom Petri welcomes the Bevecs. |
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| Claire exchanges trading cards with other All-Stars. | Claire joined 30 other child patients in Washington D.C., to help bring to life the importance of adequate funding for pediatric care. |
Read more from the Bevec Family
Watch Claire and her mother, Linda, discuss Claire's condition and the importance of quality children's health care at Family Advocacy Day.
Hear from Claire's mom in this blog post: We're heading to Capitol Hill for Family Advocacy Day.
For more information about Family Advocacy Day and the Bevec family, read Claire's All-Star page.