Did you know that your elected representatives have a mandate to hear from and meet with you as their constituent? Every elected official’s office has hours during which they talk and meet with people. This is your opportunity to have your voice heard as someone who lives with arthritis.

CAPA has created templates of letters for you to personalize and share with your elected official – all related to living with arthritis. We will have also provided you with information on arthritis and the burden it creates for people who live with it, our families and caregivers, and the healthcare system. We encourage you to take these tools and use them to ensure your voice is heard by following a few easy steps:

  1. Download the letter and make it your own – please see the templates below
  2. Send it to your elected official (by mail or email – you can find your representative’s mailing or email address online)
  3. If appropriate, make an appointment with your elected official to sit down and talk (or do it via a phone call) about your letter and your concerns
  4. Please feel free to prepare some speaking notes for your meeting – we have provided some here for you as a resource

Anyone can do this, and we want to give you the tools and resources to feel confident about it. Anyone can be an advocate!