Whenever I go to Washington, a rather tragic thing happens: I get this School House Rock song stuck in my head. And it's not just a passing memory of my St. Mary's theater days. I actually walk around the House and Senate building singing this song out-loud, unaware that I am doing so! Talk about embarrassing moments. (I'm beginning to think they're the story of my life.)
So, what the heck was I doing in D.C.?
As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in 5th grade at the age of 10. A 21-day visit at the hospital filled with needles and tests left me with news that changed my life forever. Throughout middle school, I was very sick. Steroids helped me heal, but did little to fix the actual problem. Luckily, I finally found Dr. Black who figured out a medicine combination that has worked miracles for me! I have had flare-ups more recently, in junior year of high school and spring semester last year, but I am in remission currently. Crohn's affects over 1.5 million Americans and is rising in prevalence. It is a digestive disease that varies greatly from patient to patient and has no known cause or cure. I have been very involved in efforts to raise awareness and support for the disease since I became involved with the CCFA 10 years ago! Part of my involvement stems from my position on the National Youth Leadership Council, a group of 20 college students who provide programming for the CCFA nationally. As a member, I also get to travel to D.C. once a year to do advocacy work on Capitol Hill.
All in all, Day on the Hill was incredible this year. I had the opportunity to lead a Parent's Forum, for parents of kids with IBD, with two of my best friends, Katherine and Ally. The session was extremely successful, much to our surprise, and the parents were incredibly interested in our stories and experiences. I was also very surprised by the incredible networking I got to do at the reception the first night. I met a woman who works at Google, one of the first female Account Executives at Leo Burnett who managed the Peter Pan and Keebles accounts (the advertising nerd in me was star-struck), and several business people who gave me lots of insight into marketing and branding. I also found out that Bob Schieffer, of the Schieffer School of Journalism, has IBD. Say what?!
Michael and I with Bob Schieffer!
Ally, me, and Katherine before the reception.
Lobbying was also very rewarding! I got to speak to numerous Texas politicians about IBD and about the CCFA and the need for research money. (If you're into politics: the CDC is in new hands and all of those hands are of former State Health Department leaders. This essentially means that they want to use CDC money solely to provide funding to state health departments, which is detrimental to research funding for chronic illnesses, something previously publicly funded only through the CDC.) I felt very official riding on the Senate subway, walking through the tunnels, and talking to staffers (mainly very attractive and intelligent college boys)!
After Day on the Hill, I spent some quality time with some grabbing dinner with Ally and Nick at the Froggy Bottom Pub (appropriate for a TCU student)!
I then spent the night on the George Washington with Ally! Ally is interning in D.C. this summer. We decided to go see all of the monuments at night, which was very cool! There were tons of middle school trips there, but I think we fit right in. We also hung out with some GW students in their fraternity houses! We avoided the Metro after the FBI evacuated me on my first day in town. Guess I look suspicious. I did pack for the entire trip in my Northface backpack which may have looked odd.
Me in the mall with the Washington Monument!
Go Frogs!
Abe and I are buddies.
Home sweet home!
On day two, we visited the Wax Museum and got lunch with Katherine before I headed to the airport. All in all, my mini-vacation was a great weekend get-away! I actually had a couple job opportunities mentioned in D.C. for July and may look into them if I can find decent housing. And if the groups still want me in a week...
This is an SOS.
The family is now headed to the lake for Memorial Day, so my next update will come from no place other than FORT WORTH, TEXAS!
The Waggoner sisters are water skiing beasts. Not really.
