Write a Letter to the Editor
Submitting a letter to the editor of your local paper is a quick and easy way to educate members of your community about an issue. What's more, your legislators pay close attention to the local papers in their district to keep track of their constituents' views and concerns.
Your paper's Opinion Page will likely have guidelines for submitting a letter. If not, call the editorial office and ask. Follow their procedures exactly. Be sure, when you sign the letter, to include your full name and contact information. Although the paper will only print the name of your town, the editors may need to contact you with questions or edits before the letter goes into print. After you mail your letter, call the editor of the letters page to find out if it was received and when it will be printed.
Here are some quick tips for writing an effective letter:
- Keep your message clear, concise and on topic. Shorter letters get printed and clearly written letters get read.
- State the problem and why you are concerned about it.
- Include your personal story and provide details that make it more real for the reader. But avoid hyperbole and exaggeration. Stick to the facts.
- State the solution, both generally and specifically. For example, "We must provide treatment summaries and follow-up care plans for cancer survivors to guide their future treatment. That's why I support the Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act."
- Wrap it up with a final statement of why this issue is so important. The more personal you make it, the more powerful.
- If your letter gets printed, NCCS would love to know about it! Please e-mail us at advocacy@canceradvocacy.org or mail us your printed letters to the editor, so we can track the Cancer Advocacy Network!'s efforts around the country and share your successes with the rest of the network.
Sample Letter
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Dear Editor: While people diagnosed with cancer often feel thankful for their survivorship, life beyond cancer has unique challenges and complexities that have not been adequately addressed by our health care system. Cancer treatment can have serious immediate and long-term psychosocial and physical effects, as well as related health issues that appear in later years, such as organ and tissue damage (i.e., heart, lung, and digestive problems), osteoporosis, memory and attention difficulties, and second cancers to mention a few. This holiday season I am especially thankful for leaders such as Rep. (or Reps.) _____________ who have taken the time to understand the unmet needs of cancer survivors by supporting legislation that addresses many of those needs. The Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act (H.R. 1844) encourages the use of a cancer care planning system that would improve long-term follow-up care when primary cancer treatment has ended. This legislation would also help people diagnosed with cancer get a written plan of their treatment before it begins so they not only have an idea of what to expect but also are better equipped to ask questions and participate in their treatment decisions. Moreover, talking over these care plans with a doctor will encourage better communication and discussion of many topics that are either difficult to address or just don't come up in the course of a regular appointment, such as advanced illness care or psychological help. With the many demands placed on our elected officials to address complex issues, people are often quick to criticize them for their decisions. I believe it's important to remember that many legislators are advancing important causes such as this one. With nearly 12 million survivors nationwide and 1.5 new diagnoses each year, there are a lot of people to be grateful for Rep. (or Reps.) ______________ support of the effort to provide quality care for people with cancer. With appreciation, [Your name] |
