Pushing for Change the Write Way

Help draft legislation or sign bills to promote the inclusion of minorities in more clinical trials and research. Minority voices have been silenced in the workplace, at home, and at the hospital for far too long. Listening to the stories of minority communities can reveal so many truths about heart disease that can advance the future of cardiovascular medicine.

Advocate for Minorities with Heart Disease

Heart disease research, inclusion in clinical trials, and affordable health insurance all come from public policy and legislation. Light on the Heart helps minority groups such as people of color, Indigenous groups, and women advocate for themselves by bettering federal policies.

Learn how to make your voice heard, with your legislator, doctor, insurance provider, and more.

Send an email to Congress

Take one minute to advocate for minorities in cardiovascular care and prevent misdiagnoses! Feel free to edit the message to your elected official as you see fit. Personal stories will help better advocate for your community.

Full Name

Subject

Message...

I am writing to raise awareness on the issue of healthcare inequity for minority groups with heart disease. Much too frequently, minority groups are denied access to top-quality cardiac care, when they are most susceptible to heart disease due to socioeconomic factors. Delayed diagnosis can lead to worsening symptoms and poor treatment— we cannot let this issue continue for much longer. We need policy solutions today.   The leading cause of death for minority groups is heart disease. For example, Heart disease is the #1 killer of women globally, though only about 50% of women even know about this. Minority groups are brushed off when coming into the ICU and complaining about symptoms such as chest pain. Access to experienced cardiac doctors continues to be a financial problem for minorities and low-income communities, with the estimated lifetime cost of heart failure significantly increasing after the pandemic. Policy solutions through legislation are one of the best solutions we can take to address these problems. There is a great need for the inclusion of minority groups within clinical trials regarding heart disease to fully understand their symptoms and reduce misdiagnoses.   Systemic barriers to quality heart care result in an additional bias for minority groups, as well as a lack of respect from health care providers. I ask you to support policies that further education for clinicians and medical students about sex, race, and income differences in treating cardiovascular disease, in addition to anti-bias training in their careers.   We need better solutions to ensure that minority groups are treated with respect and receive timely diagnoses when they come to clinics and hospitals. I urge you to give your support in fully funding the research of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and to help advance policies that advance diverse patient-centered testing and research.   Please grant your support towards policies and research funding that will lead to a better quality of life for minority communities.

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