Gun violence is a public health crisis and needs to be treated ASAP

I almost died from a gun shot but got a second chance - stand with me to help save others. [Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence]( Dear {NAME}, At age 17, I went from a carefree young man to a gunshot victim after a violent fight broke out at a football game and a 38-caliber bullet ripped through my throat, lodging in my shoulder. I still vividly see the expressions on the faces of the many people trying to help me that day. The chaos around me in the trauma bay filled me with both fear and awe – fear that I might die and awe at the overwhelming purpose of the medical personnel fighting to save my life. A prolonged hospital stay, and many operations, gave me a second chance. This inspired me to become a trauma surgeon, and provide that same second chance to others. Earlier today I testified before the House Judiciary Committee. My testimony was simple: we need to diagnose gun violence as a public health crisis and start treating it as one. [Together, with your support, we can push Congress to pass life-saving legislation.]( As a trauma surgeon, I am uniquely positioned to understand and address the epidemic of gun violence. My fellow trauma surgeons and I are the ones on the frontline of caring for patients who suffer injuries from bullets. We are the ones trying to stop the bleeding from ravaged tissue and torn flesh. We are the ones telling families that their loved ones are never coming home. We are the ones trying to deliver data-driven solutions with inadequate research funding. And, we are the ones who understand that the best medical treatment for this crisis is to prevent these injuries before they happen. I also donate my time as a Board Member for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. I choose to give my time to Brady because Brady is uniquely well positioned to lead a multi-disciplinary approach that will address our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Together, with supporters like you, we are pushing Congress to take critical life-saving actions including: - Pass a background check expansion law to close the loopholes in the background check system that allow 1 in 5 guns to be sold with no questions asked. - Fully fund gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control. - Support implementation of extreme risk laws that remove guns from individuals in crisis. We have both the opportunity and the responsibility to comprehensively address gun violence as the true public health crisis that it is. This is not a partisan issue. It’s a uniquely American issue and it is in each of your hands to help fix it. [Will you help treat our national health crisis by making a special gift today? A gift to Brady will move important legislative priorities forward and save lives.]( The America I’m fighting for is one where parents no longer have to fear the phone call that my parents received, that the Parkland parents received, and literally hundreds of others across this country are receiving every single day. As a trauma surgeon, I have to look into the eyes of these parents and it’s nothing less than heartbreaking. Thank you for your support, Dr. Joseph Sakran Trauma Surgeon Board Member, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence [DONATE]( Follow Brady on Social Media: [Follow us on Facebook]( [Follow us on Twitter]( [Follow us on Instagram]( Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 840 First Street, NE Suite 400 Washington, DC 20002 United States If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please [unsubscribe](