Emailing 60 minutes?

[susan400]

Do any of you think that it would be a good idea to email the news magazine show, 60 minutes and ask them if they'd do a segment on Hep C?   I'm just wondering that if a bunch of us sent emails to them and told them that we wanted them to do a segment on it if they would take notice and do one.  We could use the argument that there's this story in the news lately about the accidentally infecting of the people in Las Vegas.  We could remind them about the fact that there are so many people infected with Hep C in the U.S. and that there doesn't seem to be alot of research $$$ spent on it.  We could point out that there have been certain stars in the media who have made public their Hep C infection (by doing this, we're not violating any confidentially of those stars since they have come out into the open and stated that they had this virus).   Are any of you interested in emailing 60 minutes?  You wouldn't have to really be telling them that you wanted to BE on their show or anything, just that you'd like to see a segment done about it.  We need more CORRECT information to be out there to the public.

This is the address that I found out about for emailing them:  ***@****    or if this gets wiped out by medhelp, just type 60m@       then, next to it, put the cbsnews  and then, next to that put the .   and then, the com.   If you know what I mean.  :)  

I'm going to try and write to them.  I hope somebody else decides to write them, too.

Susan400

[susan400]

I haven't heard anything either, but the more of us that write, the more chance that they'll look into it!  Thanks for your getting your friends and family to write - great going!!

Susan400

[GrandmaBRZ]

Yes, keep this at the top!  I have gotten friends & family to email.   None of us have heard anything - surprise.............

[susan400]

I wanted to push this back up to the top so that some of you who have wanted to write and have forgotten about it, might reconsider and send out your letter!   What do you have to lose to type out a simple paragraph asking them to do a segment on it?   That really doesn't take a lot of effort or thought now does it?

I've also put the regular email address on my profile.

Susan

[susan400]

I'M  BAAAACK!!!    Thank-you all so much for your letters.   I'm really hoping that somebody up there notices!!!     I had to go and look into a clinical trial.  I don't have anything to definitely report yet,  just screening and until they tell me that I've 'passed',  there's no sense in posting about it.

Susan

[GSDgirl]

I got my email sent off so we will wait & see if anyone gets a response.  Hopefully they will do an indepth piece.  

Denise

[fretboard]

I didn't use it either, but if someone is uneasy about exposing their email address b/c they don't want to get any spam or for any other reason.  A confidential clause takes care of anything you can think of.  I use one at work on certain confidential or legal emails, the one on my profile is super legal.  Of course I didn't use one and you didn't use one, that makes two.  Someone else can do the math, if they write.  LOL  If anyone wants to write an email to 60 minutes, go ahead.  World Hep Awareness Week is ending in a few days.  God Bless

[fretboard]

In case anyone wanted to email, but hesitated b/c you don't want your email address exposed, sold or whatever I totally understand.  I put up a confidentiality clause on my profile, you can cut and paste it to your email to 60 minutes.  thank you  

[Frank J. Perrotta]

there is also a phone number for 60m = [phone].

will be sending an email and calling.

[fretboard]

It's still World Hep Awareness Week, May 19 thru May 26 and beyond!  That means HepC to me, if it means HepC to you, please call your Congressman/ Senate-Representative or write an email to 60 minutes.  You choose, you can also do both.  It's even a free phone call.  God Bless  

[loosenup]

CNN did a brief stint on HCV Monday, May 12, mainly focusing the the Nevada clinic.  

Contacting 60 Minutes is good and proactive.  I'm forwarding a sample letter that you can call your senator and representative in D.C.  Yesterday was World Awareness Day, but most are carrying it out through the month.  Despite this suggests to call congress yesterday, any time is ok.  We need to be heard, and we need respect.


Flood Congress With Calls and Demand Leadership!



The statistics are staggering:



Hepatitis C is the most common, chronic blood-borne viral infection in the United States


An estimated 5 million Americans (at least 1 in 50) have been infected with the hepatitis C virus.


Hepatitis C is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the U.S. – and chronic liver disease is in the top ten killers for Americans 25 years of age and older


The federal government’s response:



A mere $17 million per year for all viral hepatitis programs


President Bush has proposed a cut in hepatitis funding in next year’s budget


Legislation to mount a comprehensive fight against the disease has stalled


Angry? Want to make a difference?



Make three phone calls on May 19th and demand that Congress take action!



How you can help:



On Monday, May 19th (World Hepatitis Day), call your U.S. House Representative and two U.S. Senators in their Washington , DC office. Ask to speak to the staffperson who handles health care issues. You might speak to this person live or you might get voicemail. Deliver the following message:



“My name is __________ and I live in (your city/state). Today is World Hepatitis Day and I urge Representative/Senator ____________ to take a leadership role in the fight against the hepatitis C epidemic. An estimated 5 million Americans have been infected with the hepatitis C virus, but the federal government has not provided adequate funding or legislation to fight the epidemic. I urge the Representative/Senator to help change this situation by supporting $50 million for viral hepatitis programs in the Fiscal Year 2009 appropriation bill and by cosponsoring the “Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act.”



You can reach your Senators and Representative by calling the Capitol switchboard toll-free at [phone]. If that number is busy, call [phone]. Ask to be connected to your Representative or Senator. If you don’t know who represents you in Congress, go to www.congress.org and enter your zip code in the upper left corner.



*If you are unable to call on May 19th, please call no later than Friday, May 23rd.



If your Representative/Senator is on the following list, he or she has already cosponsored the “Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act.” Please thank them and ask that they work to get other cosponsors.



House cosponsors:



Neil Abercrombie (HI)

Brian Baird (WA)

Shelley Berkley (NV)

Timothy Bishop (NY)

Elijah Cummings (MD)

Keith Ellison (MN)

Bart Gordon (TN)

Raul Grijalva (AZ)

John Lewis (GA)

Jim McDermott (WA)

James McGovern (MA)

Michael McNulty (NY)

Gregory Meeks (NY)

Ed Pastor (AZ)

Donald Payne (NJ)

Jim Ramstad (MN)

Edolphus Towns (NY)

Henry Waxman (CA)

Robert Wexler (FL)

Heather Wilson (NM)



Senate cosponsors:



Joe Biden (DE)

Barbara Boxer (CA)

Maria Cantwell (WA)

Thad Cochran (MS)

Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)

Daniel Inouye (HI)

Tim Johnson (SD)

Ted Kennedy (MA)

Frank Lautenberg (NJ)

Mark Pryor (AR)

Gordon Smith (OR)

Olympia Snowe (ME)

Ron Wyden (OR)

Good luck!
Diana

[Deb_c430]

the controversy? they infected people in a vegas lab! I would say that is pretty controversial, people  who had blood transfusions.

people are dying everyday and the numbers are growing.  Hepatitis the word has always carried a negative stigma,  dirty,  self abusers,   it is time to shake it out,  Let people understand it is  no dirtier than aids, or cancer.  

I don't mean to sound negative here, I usnderstand and appreciate  what you are saying.  That is why we need to let them see what this silent killer is doing!

Deb

[fretboard]

I can't think of a subject more controversial than HepC, the only thing that comes close in my eyes is our soldiers dying in Iraq.  Besides that, with the re-using of needles in Nevada it's already happened.  People injecting others intentionally?  It's already happened, I can't think of anything that hasn't already happened with HepC and we never hear anything about it.  Isn't anybody wondering why?  Hell yeah!  I'm wondering why, that's why I took the time to write a letter!  Sure I balked at writing to a Congressman, cause I know how legislation works and to write the same letter to someone does nothing, this may do nothing.  However, it makes me feel better knowing that during World HepC Week, I emailed a letter to a news agency and I made a difference, or I emailed a letter and it got someones attention, or I emailed a letter and it did nothing, but made me feel better.  Thank you if you write, but if you don't I understand.  In a day and age when it doesn't get any easier than sitting in front of your computer and emailing a letter all I can say is if you choose to ignore this urging, then in this writers eyes, you shouldn't complain.  I'm not talking about anyone specifically, I am just saying that in general.  It reminds me of people bit*hing about something, but they're never willing to bust a grape when it comes to doing something about it.  Hell, you could cut and paste the whole dang thing, how hard is that?  Just use common sense and be a little professional, in the process.    God Bless

[moahunter]

Doesn't there have to be some sort of controversy to get on 60 minutes, as opposed to a regular health show, or segment in news? Maybe, like hospitals infecting patients, or similar?

[whitetigercubs2]

just got done writing to them. when you get to the sight and the very bottom of the page is a contact link. click on it and do a request. if you have any problem just pm me and i will guide you through it. hope this works. if anyone hears that they are going to do a story let me know when.

[whitetigercubs2]

i think that is great. when i was diagnosed. there were only two people that could have give it to me. but the health department said since its not an epidemic or aids/hiv they could not force them to get tested.

[Deb_c430]

exactly!  the more they get the better off everyone is!   think we should write our  elected officials!

POWER TO THE PEOPLE! OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD!

ok i will calm down now, but I think it is a good thing!

[fretboard]

Yes if we have 100 or more emails hitting a web address I think it may go to the top, even if it's just mentioned in passing between employees of 60 minutes it still may go to the top and be accepted as newsworthy and get a short or long segment.  Also, it's very important that our letters are written individually as it's more personal that way and will go further.  Common sense tells me that there's a few rookies who read and respond to these emails, but you never know who they forward them to, and you never know what supervisor they may ask for advise on.  Besides, some big wig may occasionally take a look at the email flow and decide it's a newsworthy item.  It certainly qualifies as newsworthy to me and you have nothing to lose but a few minutes or half hour tops.  Just the incident in Nevada makes it newsworthy as innocent people were affected.  The news agencies seemed to have backed off of that one quickly most likely due to legalities.  If a news agency has any bawls that would be 60 minutes, oh yeah and we can move onward to other ones like Dateline or mention them as well.  My point is 60 minutes has always been a front runner and has taken stories on, that other news agencies wouldn't or couldn't.  IMO I feel that this is just as important, if not even more so than writing to some Congressman or other elected official, besides I think it will go further than writing to a member of Congress or something like that.  Incidently I've never written to a public official so this is a big deal to me.      
God Bless  

[Lady Lauri]

So we keep doing it over and over until we drive them crazy. Maybe mention we're e-mailing to Dateline, others too :)

LL

[Deb_c430]

This is a great idea,  I am emailing them today, and asking some friends and family members to also!  Wow Susan  awesome.

They may have canned it before but the louder our voices get,  The sooner they will realize they have a story!  

Awesome and totally positive idea!

Deb

[fretboard]

Yes I looked at your profile and that's where I emailed to, I still think it's a great idea and we have nothing to lose and everything/something to gain.  How does anyone think they get their stories?  Sure they think up alot of stuff and they've most likely thought of HepC before, but they may have canned the idea.  With the Nevada clinic re-using needles that qualifies as a current event, that's what they write about, current events.  I'm sure they thought of that, maybe writing them will validate their previous thoughts, who knows?  take care

[Lady Lauri]

OOPS....and....I'll be stressing on how many don't get dx'd, carry for 30 yrs., etc. due to lack of knowlegde awareness even with Dr.'s.

LL

[Lady Lauri]

Meki, good point!

Susan, just saw this. As you know ....been busy and falling out when I get home! Not online, etc. I like this and will send a letter. Also, you can put the link on your profile, as I did for my MDA ride. With many of us maybe it will get happen and it is so needed. I'll get my sister and brother in law to write. He's the one the VA won't even see him, bx him or refer him for Hep C because he tested for pot and is VERY ill, (perhaps should leave that out), but he has no risk factors, etc. Talk more Thursday :)

LL

[scratchinghead]

I once contacted 60minutes about this story I found in a book about how Elvis's brother was still alive. They got back to me and said that it wasn't big enough or something.

What I did was find out who the producers were in some book at the library and mailed it "Attention: soand so".

It's not what you send, it's who you send it to.

[fretboard]

Right on, to the Right on!  As they used to say back in the day.  The more who write the better, I'm certain we're not throwing water in the wind, but if we are that's ok to as it's been getting really hot lately anyways.  later