This was emailed to Jane, to FexEx, thanks to the post of her generous offer
here.
It was also CCed to Larry G at AAP/BF section.
Judy LeVan Fram, Brooklyn, USA
The Honorable Tommy Thompson
Secretary, US Dept of HHS
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 639-G
Washington, DC 20201
Dear Secretary Thompson:
The US goverment, and now you, specifically, are poised to make a giant
leap forward in
making positive changes in the lives of millions of current and future
Americans. The Ad Council's
focus group work, with solid and evidence-based information about the impact
of infant feeding
on health during infancy, childhood, and beyond, can begin to turn around the
dovetailing
epidemics of obesity, diabetes, gastric disorders, asthma, cancers of many
kinds ( in both children
who are not breastfed, and the mothers who don't breastfeed them,) and
"routine" illnesses like
ear infections and gastrointestinal illnesses. Billions of dollars will be
saved or better spent on
myriad other programs this country needs to have supported. If there is a
period of transition in
which parents are confused that they didn't get this information before,
having been swayed by
unmonitored formula ads which claim their product is 'closer than ever' to
the unduplicatable
properties of human milk and the normal delivery of it during the
breastfeeding relationship, that
is to be expected. When my parents found out via our own government's Surgeon
General, that
smoking, although culturally acceptable and pervasive, carried health risks,
they became
nonsmokers immediately. I believe they were grateful that their government,
the people who
represent us and our needs politically, gave them the information to make
such a huge change in
their health, both then and over the years. The people deserve nothing less
in this instance than the
facts as we know them, as evidence has proved.
Former goals for Healthy People 2000 were not met, in terms of
breastfeeding - here is a
way to at least meet them by 2010. The Ad Council has what their
professional judgement tells
them is an excellent campaign strategy to reach the parents of this nation
who need this
information, and need it in the style most likely to be useful. The Ad
Council has the full support
of the physicians who are the experts on this area: The AAP Section on
Breastfeeding. This
campaign deserves full, immediate, and ongoing goverment support. I urge you
to do your part in
making this current and well-designed campaign, from a trusted and successful
Ad Council, the
success this country needs it to be - generations will remember this and
benefit from it. We all
will.
Sincerely,
Judy LeVan Fram, Physical Therapist, Feeding Specialist, mother, citizen
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