Get Involved
We need your help! Tell your elected officials to take action on legislation that will benefit lung health throughout Illinois.
Become an E-Advocate
As an e-advocate, we keep you up to date on the latest lung health policy developments and what you can do to help. Tell your lung health story to lawmakers and make a difference for people affected by lung disease. Sign up below to get periodic updates from us about important policy issues, and with a few simple clicks, email your elected official to voice your opinion on the issues that matter.
Become an Advocacy Champion
Our Advocacy Champions are volunteer lung health advocates from all walks of life are willing to share their stories with lawmakers by writing a letter to the editor, providing a comment to the media, or help bring attention to an issue in another way. They are also from all over the state – we are recruiting at least one Advocacy Champion in every legislative district in Illinois.
“I am proud to serve as an Advocacy Champion for Respiratory Health Association. It’s been empowering to share my story with my Senator and be a voice for the COPD Community.” – Bill K., Chicago
You don’t need to be expert on policy issues to be an Advocacy Champion. RHA alerts you when action is necessary, provides you with key talking points on the topic and asks you to contact your elected officials with these magical words: “I am a constituent and I want you to support…”
As an Advocacy Champion, you will receive real time policy updates and monthly newsletters. To learn more about becoming an Advocacy Champion, please contact McKenna Mason at mmason@resphealth.org.
Action Center
Health Professionals for Healthy Lungs
With increased threats to healthcare and clean air policies, your voice is needed now more than ever.
Health Professionals for Healthy Lungs (HPHL) is designed for health professionals across Illinois who share ourvision of healthy lungs and clean air for all and want to lend their voices in support.
“RHA respected my time and made it as easy as possible to participate in policy issues near and dear to me. I have recruited colleagues to also lend their voice to advocacy efforts that protect access to care for thousands of Illinoisans with lung disease.” – Cathy C., Elmwood Park, IL
As we learned during the historic Smoke-free Chicago campaign in the early 2000s, health professionals bring additional authority and credibility to policy change efforts. By joining HPHL, you and fellow health colleagues have helped influence today’s public health issues — from access to care and reimbursement rates to raising the tobacco purchase age to 21 — and public health policies of the future.
Guided by health equity principles and committed to improving lung health in all communities, HPHL advocates for clean energy, healthy air, and policies that improve lung disease management and decrease exposure to tobacco products.
HPHL members have 100% control over when and how they are involved. You will be contacted by email periodically throughout the year with information about a policy issue and asked to send an email, make a telephone call, submit a letter to the editor or join RHA at a legislative meeting.
HPHL members are also invited to participate in events held to educate the news media and general public on issues of lung health.
Most activities are quick and easy, and all of them have a big impact on RHA’s efforts to prevent lung disease, promote clean air and help people live better and healthier lives.
Legislative Visits
Your voice is needed. Our lawmakers gain a greater understanding of how their decisions impact lung health when they hear from the people and families who are affected.
Municipal
There are many lung health policy issues that RHA is addressing at the municipal level. Local health policy efforts can be of great importance, as they are very often crucial building blocks towards statewide laws.
State
Speaking face-to-face with your state Senators and Representatives is an impactful way to convey the importance of lung health policies. RHA’s policy staff will work with you to schedule an in-person meeting close to home at your legislators’ local offices.
Federal
The way federal policies are implemented in each state can affect local lung health. RHA will help convene a face-to-face visit with your congressman in his or her in-district office in your community. In the past, RHA staff and groups of volunteers have traveled to Washington D.C. to advocate for federal lung health policies. These visits are contingent upon funding and sufficient volunteer interest, so they may not occur every year.