Contact Your Legislator

Dear [Name of Legislator]

My name is _______ and I reside in your district.  I am writing to express my concern about congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV)… the LEADING VIRAL CAUSE OF BIRTH DEFECTS.  On behalf of the Washington CMV Project and their work to raise awareness about CMV, I would like to express my concern regarding the lack of awareness about CMV and the need for newborn CMV screening in Washington State.

CMV occurs in 1 in every 200 babies, but Washington State does not screen newborns for this virus.  It is MORE PREVALENT THAN ALL other disorders on the newborn screening panel.  CMV can cause a variety of significant medical issues for infants, including but not limited to seizures, cerebral palsy, microcephaly, hearing loss, vision loss, developmental delays, Autism, and death. 

The Washington CMV Project hopes legislators will introduce a Washington State bill requiring newborn screening for CMV and assist with prenatal education efforts across the state. 

I am emailing because we need your help.  We are reaching out to state legislators with hope they will listen to the stories of families impacted by CMV, understand the severity of this prevalent virus, and help make a difference for these children and families by sponsoring a bill. 

If you are interested in learning more about CMV or the efforts of the Washington CMV Project, please visit www.wacmvproject.com or contact the group at email@wacmvproject.org.

 Thank you for your time and attention.

[your name]