What are our legislators thinking?

Have you received an email directing you to a petition to stop drive-thru mastectomies?

I’ve received it many times over the years, and got another one the other day from my cousin. The link is at http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/pledges/bc_mast_pledge.html. It’s a legitimate site and the contents are a source of tremendous frustration for me. Please take a moment to read the petition, sign if you agree, and then come back here.

My cousin had copied many family members, and this is what I wrote:

“I know many of you and hope you can tolerate one more comment on this. For those who do not know me, I have just celebrated my 5th year since my breast cancer surgery, and am very happy to say that I'm here. I'm healthy and cancer-free.

According to the Lifetime website: "Lifetime has been working to pass this legislation since 1996 and now has collected more than 10 million petition signatures".

Exactly how many signatures does our government require in order to pass this legislation? Since Lifetime (only one of the supporters) has been working on this since 1996, WHAT ARE OUR LEGISLATORS WAITING FOR?

If you hear anger and frustration on my part, you're right! First of all, finding a second opinion is important to double-check your diagnosis and treatment options. Mastectomy is extremely painful and you're at risk, as with other surgeries, for infection and reaction to medicines. Being in the hospital is the ONLY place you should be following this surgery.

If you are in a position where you know someone who would be responsible for voting for this, can you ask that person to explain what is holding up this common-sense, medically sound, humane legislation? What EXACTLY will it take to end this madness and pass the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005?

If you pass along the original email regarding the petition at http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/pledges/bc_mast_pledge.html, please include my note. I need some answers, don't you?”

My aunt in Virginia inquired at the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. This note is from Margaret of Y-ME:

“Yes, this is still timely. However, the best thing to do is to ask your friends to get their representatives in Congress to sign on as cosponsors to H.R. 1849 and S.910, the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005. They can check whether or not their members have signed on by going to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.html and putting the bill number into the search feature. Then on the next screen click on Bill Summary and Status. Then click "Cosponsors' and it will give you an alphabetical listing of senators or representatives who have signed to cosponsor the legislation.

For our area of Northern Virginia, neither senator has signed to cosponsor, and Rep. Moran is the only representative who has signed on. From MD, Van Hollen and Wynn have signed on. Neither Maryland senator has signed on. Del. Norton has signed.

And then of course, we must get both House and Senate leadership to agree to bring the bills to the floor.”

My aunt went to the website and wrote: “I found 141 cosponsors are in the House and only 7 in the Senate.”

I would ask of you that if you care about this issue, check on your leaders and push for their sponsorship. Ask them to prod others to pass this Act and insist it be done NOW!