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ATA Advocacy - Another Path to a Cure

Dear Friends,

The American Tinnitus Association’s every effort is directed towards the goal of finding a cure for tinnitus. One of our most effective ways of working toward a cure that often flies under the radar is ATA’s highly successful advocacy program. Our efforts have helped to bring about significant funding for tinnitus research over the past few years and I want to share with you some of the progress that has been made possible only by your generous support.

But first, I’d like to share with you a personal connection to tinnitus that inspires and motivates me each day that I come to work.

As a result of his proud service in the U.S. Army during World War II, my late grandfather developed tinnitus at a very young age. He suffered for the remainder of his life with this condition that still has no cure. And though he seldom complained about it, there is no question that tinnitus had a negative impact on his life.

My grandfather’s disability serves to inspire my work at ATA. His story is like that of so many others who have served this country selflessly and then face a lifetime with tinnitus as a constant reminder of their service. Tinnitus remains the number-one service connected disability for returning personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan.

ATA’s outreach to Members of Congress has led the U.S. government to increase their support for tinnitus research. And the results have been dramatic! Your support has enabled this essential work so I invite you to take a moment to share in these victories:

  • Thanks to ATA’s efforts, legislation specifically targeting tinnitus has made its debut in the U.S. House of Representatives. “The Veterans Hearing and Assessment Act” (H.R. 2506) will require that all veterans receive pre- and post-deployment audiology evaluations and would mandate that all capable VA facilities conduct tinnitus research on their patient populations. This research will benefit all tinnitus sufferers, civilian as well as military.
  • For the past two years tinnitus has been included as an eligible research condition in DoD’s Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program. Both years of eligibility have resulted in funding to tinnitus investigators. Prior to this DoD had never awarded any tinnitus-specific research funding and it was all due to ATA’s labors.

This is just a sample of how ATA is keeping tinnitus at the forefront of legislative decision making in Washington, D.C. on behalf of you – our members, donors and supporters – and just one of the ways that ATA is working for you. To read about all of our accomplishments, or to join in our outreach, please visit our Web site at ATA.org and click on the “Advocacy,” “Research,” and “Join the Fight” tabs at the top of the page.

So what’s next? That all depends on you. We cannot maintain this momentum without your continued support. Please make a contribution today and continue to be part of the solution to restoring silence to the millions who suffer. This battle is near and dear to my heart and I know that together we can, and will, cure tinnitus.

Thank you,  

Jennifer DuPriest
 

 

Jennifer DuPriest
ATA Associate Executive Director

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PS: Seeing this picture of my grandfather, only 18 years old, always makes me wonder what things would have been like if someone had been out there advocating for a tinnitus cure when he first enlisted. Raise your voice with ours about the urgent need to increase federal funding for tinnitus research by making a contribution today to support our continued advocacy efforts.
Sergeant Nicholas Tedesco Sr.,
US Army 9th Infantry Division

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember, all contributions of $35 or more, from time of receipt at ATA headquarters, automatically renews or starts your membership. All contributions are tax-deductible.