Hi, all.  Yes, it's been awhile since my last update about the
"Thyroid Patients Need Better Treatment NOW" petition I started
in memory of my brother, Jordan.  That's due to health issues of
my own....thyroid, and now, parathyroid stuff.  But, I wanted you
to all know that I've sent off fresh letters and copies of the
petition to four different places in Washington, DC, for possible
help with the thyroid reforms this petition is asking for...

I sent them all with tracking.  And I just got it confirmed that all
four of the packets have now arrived where they're supposed to!
Here's where I sent them:  President Biden at the White House,
US Secretary of Health & Human Services (Xavier Becerra),
my US Senator from California (Alex Padilla), and my US
Representative in Congress (Robert Garcia).  Hopefully, someone
will answer with something positive.  You never know, but we're 
giving it a good try! 

I'm still gathering signatures for the petition, because I just have
no idea how many it takes to get anyone moving to help us. 
Proud to say the petition was sent off now with 7,445 signatures,
but who knows if that's enough??  That's why I'm asking all of you 
to share the petition some more, with anyone you can think of 
who might sign.  Petition will remain active until we get some
reforms achieved. Link to it is here
https://www.change.org/ThyoidBetterTreatment

If any of the "movers & shakers" I've sent this petition to, now, 
happen to click on here & see even more signatures than what I'd
mailed it off with, that could help! Would show there's continuing
interest in getting better thyroid care and diagnosis for everyone,
and that's important.

I'd like to thank all of you for signing & sharing, in the first place!  
It really means so much, and we all need to work together to
make progress.  A special thanks to anyone who's donated to the
petition, which gets it sent around to other people active on the
Change platform who might sign. This really helps, as well--and it's
really nice that I'm not always the only one who's donating what 
what I can.  Just know that all of your support is really appreciated,
whether it's a signature, sharing the petition, and/or donation. 
It ALL helps....it really does!!!  

Hopefully, we'll make a difference in the future for anyone 
suffering with low or high thyroid conditions, including the
autoimmune Hashimoto's and Graves' diseases that have hit my
family and I so hard.  I know many of you supporting this petition
have also gotten hit hard by thyroid in some way, too.  And I'm 
really sorry about whatever you've been through, or for what a
relative or friend of yours experienced. 

Let's hope that someone I've sent the petition to will help us
make things better.  I plan to send more letters and copies of 
the petition to others who might help us if needed, as my
health allows.  But one thing at a time....let's see if anyone
answers me in a useful way, regarding what I've just sent off.
That'd be nice!!

It's holiday time--I'm really missing my brother Jordan and
my mom a lot, and I think about their thyroid struggles.
They'd both be really pleased that we're trying to make
positive changes for thyroid folks.
 Thank YOU for helping, for being part of trying to
make progress in all of this!!  I'll end this update, as usual, by
posting my favorite photo of Jordan and me as kids...
Best to everyone!  from Jordan's sister, Starr D.