Storytelling is an important advocacy tool. You and your experience with diabetes are unique. Personal stories are far more memorable than statistics. They connect in an easily to understand, human way. Watch any political speech; they are full of stories to make policy points. We should too.
DPAC make sending a form letter easy. All of them are better if they start with your story. So write it out, save it on your desktop, and paste it into each DPAC action you take!Here are some tips to help you.Keep it short, a 150 to 300-word personal story is great. Tell the reader who you are and how diabetes came into, and has an impact on, your life.Use plain language. Avoid jargon and abbreviations, tell your story like you are talking with a sympathetic friend over coffee.Speak from the heart, and to it, your passion should be in the story, up close and personal.Talk about success, make your story be the uplifting example of how things can be better.Be concise. Use details from your success to connect passion and policy.Quality of life over numbers. We want to hear about you and your life. If you use statistics, make sure they are accurate and relevant to your personal story.If possible, craft a way for policy makers to be a hero by demonstrating to them how their actions help you stay healthy and successful.