(month) (day), (year)
The Honorable (first name) (last name)
U.S. House of Representatives (or U.S. Senate),
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative (or Senator) (last name),
I am writing to ask that you support legislation that
will create an Office of Men's Health at HHS. This legislation will
create an office similar to the Office of Women's Health at the
Department of Health and Human Services, an office which has saved
thousands of women's lives and improved the quality of life for
millions more.
It is vital that an Office of Men's Health be established,
considering the statistics showing a significant threat to the status
of men's health. In fact, statistics show a significant disparity
between the quality of men's health from that of women.
In 1920, the life expectancy gap between men and women
was one year, but women now outlive men by seven years. Also, age-adjusted
data indicate that the number of men who die from heart disease
is double the number of women who die from heart disease, and the
incidence of stroke is higher among men. Just as significant is
the fact that 40 percent more men die of cancer than women, and
men are at least 25 percent less likely than women to visit a doctor.
Prostate cancer itself has had an enormous impact on
men's health. This year alone, nearly 230,000 men will be diagnosed
with prostate cancer, of whom approximately 30,000 are expected to die
from the disease. African-American men are twice as likely to die
from the disease. This disease is also the most commonly diagnosed
cancer among men in the United States, accounting for approximately
37 percent of all cancer cases.
It is imperative that we support a campaign to encourage
men to get health checkups on a regular basis and to conduct routine
self examinations. With the proper investment in education and research,
many of the diseases and health problems facing men can be treated
and cured, saving the lives of thousands of men.
The Office of Men's Health will make a difference in
improving men's health, which is also a concern for women who have
husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. Please become a cosponsor
of this bill and vote for this crucial legislation. If there is
anything I can do in the future to assist in the passage of this
bill, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely Yours,
(your name)