Cynthia Chmielewski (right) of Lawrenceville, a myeloma survivor and Patient Volunteer with the Leukemia, Lymphoma Society poses with Gina Londino, LLS N.J. Patient Services Manager, at LLS Mission Day on June 4, 2013 in Washington, DC.
Lawrenceville resident, multiple myeloma survivor and cancer patient advocate, Cynthia Chmielewski, recently joined forces with 243 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society advocates from across the country to participate in the LLS’s Office of Public Policy annual Mission Day in Washington, DC.
On June 4, patients and advocates met with elected officials to spread the word about the need to find a cure for blood cancers and improve the lives of blood cancer patients.
This year more than 250 meetings were held on Capitol Hill, nearly a third with members and the remainder with staff.
Chmielewski along with Gina Londino, the Patient Services manager of the New Jersey chapter of the LLS, met with staff from Congressional District 12 -Representative Rush Holt, Representative Robert Menendez and the late Senator Frank Launtenberg- to discuss important access challenges that blood cancer patients are facing.
Specifically, they discusses HR 1801, the Cancer Drug Coverage Parity Act, which will provide coverage parity for the out-of-pocket costs, and HR 460, the Patients Access to Treatments Act, which will eliminate the high co-insurance burdens patients are facing.
Chmielewski shared her personal story on the Hill to illustrate the access issues that blood cancer patients are experiencing every day. As a result of these meetings the LLS is now hearing from staff on both sides of the aisles about their interest in supporting HR 1801 and HR 460.
“I am honored to have been given the opportunity to represent the blood cancer patients of New Jersey on The Hill” Chmielewski said in a statement, “I hope that the efforts of LLS advocacy pay off when more representatives co-sponsor each bill. I will especially be looking for Representative Holt’s signature on HR1801 since he is already a co-sponsor of HR 460.”
An added focused of LLS Mission Day 2013 was the incorporating the use of Digital Advocacy.
Digital Advocacy came naturally to Chmielewski. She reaches out to fellow patients, doctors, caregivers and cancer advocates via Twitter daily using the handle @MyelomaTeacher to create an online community of those interested in learning as much as they can about their disease and advocacy efforts. She has more than 1,100 followers.
More information is online at lls.org.
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