FRO M T H E N RRTS OF F IC E
ADVOCACY
Written by: GERRY DICKERSON, ATP, CRTS ®
This "look back" is all about advocacy. There are pictures of past Capitol Hill visits, debriefings, social gatherings and quotes from what many of us still call CELA. But it also contains an important request. The "important request" is asking you to get involved in advocacy. In gathering pictures, notes and literature from past Capitol Hill visits, I was struck by the passion and commitment of a special group of people. These same advocates commit every year to going to Washington, D.C., to make the case for change. However, it also struck me, while looking at pictures of attendees, that advocacy participation was oddly familiar to the days when I coached youth sports. Pictures I have from those days all have the very same moms and dads doing the lion’s share of the work. In our profession, this needs to change. Many of us are nearing the next phase of our lives and will be hanging up our wrenches, screwdrivers, programmers, molding machines and MacGyver skill set. Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) needs you to get involved. You need to participate in change. Your state and federal representatives need to know who you are and what you represent. Plans are in the works for the 2022 National CRT Conference. As of now, it will probably be in mid-September. You won’t need to travel or get a hotel. You can sit in the comfort of your home and be part of this amazing advocacy event. 2013 was the first year, the rookie year, for Spencer Veraldi and his family to come to the conference in Washington. When his family was asked why they made the trip from Colorado to D.C., they responded: “We want to put a face on the issue to influence the government to take action to make sure Spencer and others have access they need to finish school and overcome their limitations.” 2013 was also the rookie year, for Kesha Pilot who was injured the year before in an automobile accident. Kesha came to Capitol Hill to say “I think there are a lot of things out there not being utilized that would help in our daily routines. A lot of great inventions come from those in wheelchairs. I’m specifically hoping to talk about things that will give us equal access.” Advocate extraordinaire Jenny Siegle was already a
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DIRECTIONS 2022.2
YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN SYSTEMS CHANGE. YOUR STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU REPRESENT. veteran of CELA in 2013. Tireless, compassionate and profoundly articulate, Siegle is a constant presence in the world of CRT advocacy. Her message to Congress: “I want to be a taxpayer and contribute to society, but the only way I will be able to is to have complex rehab equipment.” Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? I want to work and pay taxes, but I need technology to help get me there. Watch your inbox for more information on the 2022 conference. Please, when the notice confirming the date of the conference comes out, join your colleagues in their CRT advocacy efforts! If you have any questions, you can contact me or reach out to the NRRTS office. Stay safe and healthy,
CONTACT THE AUTHOR Gerry may be reached at GDCRTS@GMAIL.COM
Gerry Dickerson, ATP, CRTS ®, is a 40-plus year veteran of the Durable Medical Equipment and Complex Rehab Technology industries. Dickerson, president of NRRTS, works for National Seating & Mobility in Plainview, New York. Dickerson is the recipient of the NRRTS Simon Margolis Fellow Award and is also a RESNA fellow. He has presented nationally at the RESNA conference, ISS and the National CRT conference and is a past board member of NCART.
