You either loved it or hated it when it debuted in 2008, but if you cared about Alzheimer's disease, you were probably glad it existed: the 42-cent U.S. postal stamp issued for World Alzheimer's Day in 2008. Now a campaign is underway promoting a new Alzheimer's semi-postal stamp, reports Alzheimer's Daily News.
A semi-postal stamp, also known as a fundraising stamp or a charity stamp, is one whose profits go to a dedicated cause. A 1998 breast cancer research stamp, for example, raised more than $71 million. The Alzheimer's stamp would raise money for Alzheimer's research.
A driving force behind this campaign is a former postal worker and spousal caregiver named Kathy Siggins, who started her drive for an Alzheimer's stamp in August of 1999. This January, she began delivering a letter to members of Congress asking them to sign onto the legislation for the semi-postal stamp.
To join the campaign to help "stamp out Alzheimer's," you can call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask to speak to your Congressman and Senators. Alzheimer's Daily News recommends relaying the message that you're counting on their support for the fund-raising stamp and want them to sign on as a co-sponsor to House Res. 351 and Senate Res. 176: "Your calls and opinions do make a difference."
The last Alzheimer's stamp -- an Alzheimer's Awareness commemorative stamp designed to raise public awareness -- received criticism for featuring a grim view of the disease. It's a colorless portrait of an older woman's sunken head, with a hand (presumably a family member's and/or caregiver's) on her shoulder. Others liked it because it captured the sadness of the disease. And the simple fact that it existed helped to spread reminders that Alzheimer's is everywhere. Even better that such a stamp raise millions for disease-fighting research.
Image by Flickr user simondavies57, used under a Creative Commons license.
Hello Paula, Thank you for promoting the campaign for the Alzheimer's stamp! I am a friend of Kathy Siggins and a fellow Alzheimer's advocate. I, too, have been campaigning for a semipostal stamp for Alzheimer's, 'tho not nearly as long as Kathy. I told her that neither I nor the USPS have 13 years to get this done so I am determined that we will get this through Congress in this session. The sad part is that, without sufficient cosponsors, approx. 150, these resolutions will die in committee and not get to the floor for a vote. To date we have only 27 cosponsors in the House and 4 in the Senate. I started the stamp FB Page in order to gain more visibility and, more importantly, to get concerned individuals to call Congress RE the stamp and asked my FB friends to "cut and paste the following message on their walls: Alzheimer's is the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S., and the only one in the top 10 with no known prevention or cure. Researchers say that we can STOP Alzheimer's in a decade, but only with a sustained and targeted investment of resources. STOP the suffering! Tell Congress we want a fundraising stamp for Alzheimer's research NOW! https://www.facebook.com/HelpStampOutAlzheimers
Excellent idea! I fully supported the last such stamp and will continue to do so for the new issue!
Yes! Just click on the "Congressmen and Senators" link in the post to get to a map -- find your state, and that takes you to a complete list of your representatives and an email address for each --
Is there a link to contact senators that I can post so my friends can more easily take part in the "stamp out alzheimer's" campaign.