Yesterday I sat at my desk and watched in admiration as all the Advocacy Day tweets came through. I was in awe as people posted pics, shared stories, and made shout-outs to their state representatives. I am so grateful for each of the men and women who took the time and spent the money to get to Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of the 1 in 8. They are truly heroes of the infertility community and they deserve recognition for their hard work.
Some of you may have watched wistfully from your computer screens, wishing you could take part in such an incredible day. But let’s remember that you don’t have to attend Advocacy Day to be an advocate. You can advocate right where you are.
Advocacy is defined as “public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.” So by that definition, you’re an infertility advocate if…
you blog about your infertility journey (even if it’s anonymously)
you share your infertility story with even one person
you write or call your elected officials
you ask your employer to provide infertility insurance coverage
you lead an infertility support group
you share articles and blog posts about infertility on Facebook and other social media
you donate to organizations like RESOLVE or support couples/individuals raising money for treatments
I really want to participate in Advocacy Day in-person in the next 2-3 years. But until then, I’ll continue to advocate in my own small way from right where I am now. I hope you will, too.
In what ways (big or small) are you advocating for infertility? Don’t be shy- brag a bit in the comments below!
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