Prostate Cancer Advocacy at Home: District Visits Did you know that you don't have to travel to D.C. to make an impact? Visiting Capitol Hill to share our stories and advocate for policy changes is important, but it's persistence and consistency that builds relationships and makes your voice heard amongst your elected officials. Congress’ August recess is a great time to raise your voice in your own backyard. Take Action 2025 ZERO Advocacy Summit The 2025 ZERO Prostate Cancer Advocacy Summit is a multi-day experience taking place February 23-25, 2025 that includes community-building, education, training, and advocacy meetings with elected officials in Washington, D.C. Sign up today to take part in this inspiring event. Join Us in Washington, D.C. Requesting a meeting with your Congressional RepresentativeLike any relationship, advocate relationships with their elected officials thrive on persistence and consistency. If you’re ready to strengthen your relationships with policymakers, it’s time to visit them at home. Right now, we’re using these meetings to build support for H.R. 1826, the PSA Screening for HIM Act.Find your Congressperson’s website. If you are unsure who your representative is, visit this page to search for your Congressperson by ZIP code.Once on your Congressperson’s website, find the meeting request form. For most, it will be under the “Contact” tab. The form you are looking for is likely under meeting request, scheduling, request an appearance, or something similar. Please note that offices might have different formats, so you might have to look around a bit on their website for the correct form.If you are having trouble finding the form, please contact Hal@zerocancer.org for assistance.Once located, fill out the form with the relevant information and you should hear back shortly from the office about your meeting request. Sample meeting request*Feel free to personalize as you see fit!To whom it may concern,My name is ______ and I am a constituent of Representative ____. Prostate cancer is a major problem in this country, with 1 out of every 8 American men being diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. As someone personally affected by prostate cancer, I would like to request a meeting to discuss how Representative ____ can better serve his/her constituents by addressing prostate cancer. Specifically I would like to discuss H.R. 1826, the PSA Screening for HIM Act, which would help improve access to prostate cancer screenings for high-risk men. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing back from your office soon.Sincerely,_________ During your meetingYour meetings can follow a simple format:Thank the person for their time and introduce yourself. Share why you care about prostate cancer policy.Explain why prostate cancer is so important and action is needed.Make the ask. (For example: please cosponsor H.R. 1826, the PSA Screening for HIM Act.)Offer to answer any questions. If you can’t answer them, promise to follow-up.Thank them again for their time.Send a thank you note with any follow-up materials (include the PSA Screening for HIM Act Summary and background document linked at the bottom of this page).Use the background and talking points documents found on this page to fill in your background information and ask for points 2 and 3. Documents In addition to a successful meeting with your Representative's office, it's important to provide leave-behind materials to refresh their team on what you discussed and the policy implications they will consider. Background: PSA Screening for HIM Act This in-depth article explains the history of how USPTF actively discouraged early detection for prostate cancer, as well as the impact that decision has made and how we can get back on track as a nation with screening. Talking Points: PSA Screening for HIM Act A summary of the full legislative background document for H.R. 1826 (2023 PSA Screening for HIM Act). Post-meeting surveyOnce your meeting is complete, please fill out this form to let us know how it went or if there is anything we need to follow up on. Click here to tell us how your meeting wentBackground informationLearn more about how to advocate in your home district and our legislative ask. You will find a number of documents that may be useful for your advocacy, such as talking points for our legislative ask, background information, and a one-pager that you can send to offices.Bring Your Advocacy Home Webinar Background Knowledge Legislative Overview: Prostate Cancer Screening This one-pager is an at-a-glance summary of the core issues around early detection. This important context will help them understand why it's so crucial that we remove barriers to getting tested for prostate cancer. Legislative Overview: Prostate Cancer 2022 ZERO Summit: Advocacy PSA for HIM
Take Action 2025 ZERO Advocacy Summit The 2025 ZERO Prostate Cancer Advocacy Summit is a multi-day experience taking place February 23-25, 2025 that includes community-building, education, training, and advocacy meetings with elected officials in Washington, D.C. Sign up today to take part in this inspiring event. Join Us in Washington, D.C.
Requesting a meeting with your Congressional RepresentativeLike any relationship, advocate relationships with their elected officials thrive on persistence and consistency. If you’re ready to strengthen your relationships with policymakers, it’s time to visit them at home. Right now, we’re using these meetings to build support for H.R. 1826, the PSA Screening for HIM Act.Find your Congressperson’s website. If you are unsure who your representative is, visit this page to search for your Congressperson by ZIP code.Once on your Congressperson’s website, find the meeting request form. For most, it will be under the “Contact” tab. The form you are looking for is likely under meeting request, scheduling, request an appearance, or something similar. Please note that offices might have different formats, so you might have to look around a bit on their website for the correct form.If you are having trouble finding the form, please contact Hal@zerocancer.org for assistance.Once located, fill out the form with the relevant information and you should hear back shortly from the office about your meeting request.
Sample meeting request*Feel free to personalize as you see fit!To whom it may concern,My name is ______ and I am a constituent of Representative ____. Prostate cancer is a major problem in this country, with 1 out of every 8 American men being diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. As someone personally affected by prostate cancer, I would like to request a meeting to discuss how Representative ____ can better serve his/her constituents by addressing prostate cancer. Specifically I would like to discuss H.R. 1826, the PSA Screening for HIM Act, which would help improve access to prostate cancer screenings for high-risk men. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing back from your office soon.Sincerely,_________
During your meetingYour meetings can follow a simple format:Thank the person for their time and introduce yourself. Share why you care about prostate cancer policy.Explain why prostate cancer is so important and action is needed.Make the ask. (For example: please cosponsor H.R. 1826, the PSA Screening for HIM Act.)Offer to answer any questions. If you can’t answer them, promise to follow-up.Thank them again for their time.Send a thank you note with any follow-up materials (include the PSA Screening for HIM Act Summary and background document linked at the bottom of this page).Use the background and talking points documents found on this page to fill in your background information and ask for points 2 and 3.
Documents In addition to a successful meeting with your Representative's office, it's important to provide leave-behind materials to refresh their team on what you discussed and the policy implications they will consider. Background: PSA Screening for HIM Act This in-depth article explains the history of how USPTF actively discouraged early detection for prostate cancer, as well as the impact that decision has made and how we can get back on track as a nation with screening. Talking Points: PSA Screening for HIM Act A summary of the full legislative background document for H.R. 1826 (2023 PSA Screening for HIM Act).
Post-meeting surveyOnce your meeting is complete, please fill out this form to let us know how it went or if there is anything we need to follow up on. Click here to tell us how your meeting wentBackground informationLearn more about how to advocate in your home district and our legislative ask. You will find a number of documents that may be useful for your advocacy, such as talking points for our legislative ask, background information, and a one-pager that you can send to offices.Bring Your Advocacy Home Webinar
Background Knowledge Legislative Overview: Prostate Cancer Screening This one-pager is an at-a-glance summary of the core issues around early detection. This important context will help them understand why it's so crucial that we remove barriers to getting tested for prostate cancer. Legislative Overview: Prostate Cancer
