The last week of April saw NAAF’s Communications Director, Gary Sherwood, and Legislative Liaison, Brittany Foxworth, take an active role in the Coalition of Skin Diseases’ second annual Day on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of issues of great importance to both those with alopecia areata and the skin disease community as a whole. Gary and Brittany were part of a group of 45 patients, caregivers, and organization representatives meeting with the offices of 80 congressional representatives and senators. In his role as founder and original leader of the CSD’s Advocacy Task Force, Gary worked with CSD leadership to create a day of advocacy just for those in the skin disease community so patients themselves could discuss with their lawmakers legislation which affects them directly; greater funding for the National Institutes of Health (which funds research), reform of grossly unfair step therapy, and increased appropriations for awareness programs provided by the Centers for Disease Control. Go here to learn how you can be part of NAAF’s advocacy community.
