ALF Honors Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) with Congressional Champion Awards at its Liver Life Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC
American Liver Foundation’s Liver Life Advocacy Summit was held in Washington, D.C. April 29th and 30th and brought together patients, caregivers and families from coast to coast to champion legislative priorities for liver health and help the 100 million Americans affected by some form of liver disease. During the Summit, ALF recognized Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) with the foundation’s Congressional Champion Award for their relentless commitment to helping patients and families affected by liver disease.
"We are deeply grateful to Senator Cassidy and Congressman Nadler for their commitment to helping liver disease patients and families,” said Lorraine Stiehl, CEO, American Liver Foundation (ALF) and caregiver to a transplant recipient. “Liver disease has long been overlooked but thanks to Congressional Champions like Senator Cassidy and Congressman Nadler, liver patients are finally getting the attention they deserve.”
Senator Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee, was honored with ALF’s Congressional Champion Award forhis dedication to helping liver patients as a gastroenterologist, and for his commitment to promoting legislation and policies that positively affect individuals living with liver disease, in particular those affected by steatotic (fatty) liver disease.
Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) was also honored with the prestigious Congressional Champion Award recognizing his long-standing dedication and commitment to advancing living donor transplantation and protecting living donors through the Living Donor Protection Act, which was just reintroduced into the 119th Congress. View his video acceptance here https://youtu.be/hg1Sq2FInNQ.
During the Liver Life Advocacy Summit, ALF also recognized two advocates for their outstanding commitment to advancing liver health.
The Liver Life Advocate Award was presented to West Chester, Ohio resident Don Melillo for his long-standing efforts to dispel the negative stigma surrounding liver disease and for advancing liver disease research as an advocate, member of ALF’s public policy committee, member of ALF’s research patient group program, and a peer mentor to other patients. Don was diagnosed with liver cancer and received a life-saving liver transplant.
“Ever since my own liver transplant almost 13 years ago, I have been involved with spreading the word about liver disease and helping others on their journeys. One of the highlights was receiving the Liver Life Advocate Award from ALF,” said Don Melillo. “I do what I do to give back and help others on their journey with liver disease. To be recognized by American Liver Foundation with this award was shocking a true blessing. To stand with so many other advocates who have become like a family and be singled out with this award was one of the greatest moments of my own journey.”
Liver Life Advocate and Tampa, Florida resident Tammy Sperling was presented with ALF’s Rising Advocate Award for her outstanding efforts as a new Advocacy Ambassador. Tammy immediately hit the ground running with ALF participating in multiple Congressional meetings and becoming a stellar peer mentor in ALF’s Caring Connections peer mentoring program. Tammy has primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), an autoimmune liver disease that slowly damages the bile ducts.
“The Liver Life Advocacy Summit was life-changing for me, and I am so honored to receive the Rising Advocate Award for the work I do to help others affected by liver disease. I lived my whole life not knowing I had an autoimmune liver disease until I became gravely ill. I’m so grateful to have found such a supportive community of fellow advocates at ALF and to be able to give back as a peer mentor and help others means so much to me,” said Tammy Sperling.
During the Liver Life Advocacy Summit, advocates met with their elected officials on Capitol Hill and urged Congress to implement ALF’s legislative priorities:
- Increase funding for Metabolic-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) research and education
- Expand liver disease surveillance and prevention efforts at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Finalize coverage for anti-obesity medication under Medicare Part D
- Support laws such as the Living Donor Protection Act, Safe Step Act, HOLD Act and HELP Copays Act
- Improve access to liver disease treatments and reduce out-of-pocket costs
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to both Don and Tammy for their incredible work on behalf of other patients. And I’m so proud of all of our outstanding Liver Life Advocates who joined us for our advocacy summit to share their personal liver disease journey and make a difference in the lives of those living with liver disease,” added Ms. Stiehl.
Take action for liver disease by becoming a Liver Life Advocate. Learn more at liverfoundation.org/advocacy.