2009 Annual Report - Arthritis Foundation

Advocacy
A Strong Foundation for Bi-State Legislative Action
In the South Central Region, we advocate for legislation that will improve
the lives of those who suer from arthritis and encourage support for
funding to nd a cure.
Our advocacy work in 2008 set a foundation for change in 2009 and beyond. We
worked to position the Arthritis Foundation as the leader in setting the direction
for public policy and government funding aecting arthritis-related diseases and
arthritis disability at the Texas and Oklahoma state level.
We continued to cultivate relationships with elected ocials at the state and federal
level and advocated on behalf of those with arthritis. In addition, our organization
worked with the Department of State Health Services Arthritis Advisory
Committee to update the Arthritis Plan for Texas and continued our work on
funding for the State Arthritis Program for the 2009 state legislative session.
In Oklahoma, our sta and volunteers were instrumental in town hall meetings
with U.S. Senator Tom Coburn to solicit his support of the Arthritis Prevention,
Control and Cure Act. ey were also responsible for the successful recruitment of
more than 50 new advocates.
rough our advocacy eorts and collaborations with representatives from Texas
and Oklahoma State governmental agencies and professional healthcare
organizations we work to increase expenditures for arthritis research to accelerate
the progress.
Our public policy strategy is simple. We serve as the voice of millions of Texans
and Oklahomans with arthritis to help enhance the benets of public and private
health programs relating to arthritis.
Texas Congressman Joe Barton with Sarah Metzger
(left) and Kathy Metzger.
10 11
Fallon Untersee and Christy and Michael
Wasson at the National Juvenile Arthritis
Summit