Dear Friends,

Phyllis wrote privately to me and I responded but I see she has also posted 
her questions to Lactnet so I am forwarding my letter to the group.  Form 
her Lactnet post, I can see she is from Arizona - I couldn't tell from her 
private email.  I think it is easier in Canada because our government has 
endorsed the Code but there are ways of getting around this as you can see 
from some wonderful changes being made in the US.

Renee Hefti - Graham
Vancouver, Canada

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Renee Hefti" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: a small success story


> Hi Phyllis,
>
> The Nestle event was organized through hospital managers (and Nestle) in 
> the maternity department and a notice went out that all staff were 
> invited.
>
> When the LC, received the invite, she tried to speak to her managers but 
> they were not interested so the LC very bravely wrote to the nursing staff 
> telling them this event violated the WHO Code.  Her letter was brief and 
> not outspoken.  I, occasionally replace her as an LC and when I got the 
> copy of her letter I was furious and wrote a very different letter to the 
> administration (very outspoken) but I had nothing to lose as I only work 
> occasionally and if they didn't call me again, I didn't care.
>
> In my letter, I detailed how the event violated the Code, some history 
> about Nestle.  I also mentioned that if the event was not cancelled, I and 
> others would boycott the event in the front of the building and I would 
> notify the press.
>
> I copied my letter to all the health organization groups I could think of 
> who had endorsed the Code and alerted a Canadian wide network to write 
> letters - I have no idea how many letters were sent but quite a few people 
> copied their letter back to me.
>
> You do not say where you live.  If you live in Canada, we have a lot 
> written endorsements now that we can drag out. Often the organization 
> involved with an industry event has something filed away about the Code in 
> a dusty drawer so I pull it out, use it, and embarrass them to do what is 
> right.
>
> If you don't have endorsements - start with your nursing and medical 
> organizations, pediatric and obstetrical organizations and get them on 
> side. I invited my member of the legislature assembly to tea and explained 
> to him what was going on and gave him copies of all the documents I had 
> including a copy of the Code, highlighted with the areas that were widely 
> violated and I gave him research about the benefits and cost savings of 
> breastfeeding. He took my information back to the Ministry of Health and 
> we were able to make big changes.  That was how I got the formula gift 
> packs out of the hospitals (but that is 10 years ago now).  We can never 
> rest on our laurels because the companies are always coming up with 
> something new.
>
> I have done quite a bit of this work in the past and always go right to 
> the top.  I think it is almost impossible for the LC or nurse working in 
> the facility to make too may waves without fear of reprimand. 
> Fortunately, I usually don't work at the hospital or health unit that is 
> being targeted so I do and say what I want and the other two hospitals and 
> health unit I work at now, got the message several years ago that gift 
> giving relationships with industry were a conflict of interest.
>
> If you work in the US Marsha Walker is the person who can likely help you 
> the most.  You need a few close colleagues to help you and a tough skin 
> for all the darts that are thrown but once a change is made and a few 
> years have passed, the same people who objected are shocked at how "things 
> used to be".
>
> Good luck, Renee
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <[log in to unmask]>
> To: "Lactation Information and Discussion" <[log in to unmask]>
> Cc: "Renee Hefti" <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 6:47 AM
> Subject: Re: a small success story
>
>
>> So tell us a bit about how this came about: did any specific group start 
>> the letter writing campaign? how did word spread about the efforts to 
>> inform the prospective attendees that there was a problem with this 
>> event?
>> I'm not sure my RN Mgr would appreciate a letter from me telling her she 
>> was violating the Code by attending the recent dinner given by M-J in my 
>> metro area. She really wanted to hear some of the speakers and would 
>> "just ignore" the one doctor who was giving the official M-J speech on 
>> their wonderful additives.
>> The brochure did state the speakers were all paid an honorarium from M-J 
>> and ID'd this specific speaker - so they are into disclosure of sorts. I 
>> was surprised.
>> No topics covered BFing - at least no by the titles - and no IBCLCs were 
>> hired speakers, thank goodness.
>> Phyllis
>>
>>
>> ---- Renee Hefti <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> Dear Friends,
>>>
>>> In the Vancouver area, a September 19, 2007 Nestle dinner (fancy) and 
>>> education event, "Infant Feeding Choices, a Focus on Allergy Prevention" 
>>> has been cancelled.
>>>
>>> The cancellation came after a letter writing campaign alerting health 
>>> care administrators and staff, who had been invited to attend, that the 
>>> event violated the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk 
>>> Substitutes.
>>>
>>> Renee Hefti-Graham
>>> Vancouver, Canada
>>>
>>>              ***********************************************
>>>
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>>
>> --
>> Phyllis Adamson, IBCLC, RLC
>> Glendale, AZ.
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
> 

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