Cody Belzley is the vice president for Health Initiatives at the Colorado Children's Campaign.
It's my job to think about kids' health. Every day, I work to support public policies that will improve the health and well-being of Colorado's kids. It is a pleasure and an honor. Recently, it has become much more personal.
I became a parent two years ago and will become a parent again in about two weeks. Perhaps it is the extra 30-plus pounds of weight I'm carrying around, but whatever the reason, I am more personally and acutely aware of the challenges and opportunities we face in Colorado to ensure our kids have the support they need to succeed.
Good health is the building block to that success. Healthy kids are better able to focus on the tough job of growing up. Going to school, making friends, learning right from wrong and figuring out who they are is a lot to manage without the distraction or worry that compromised health can add to a child's life.
Unfortunately, for too many Colorado kids and families, access to reliable, affordable and quality health care is a worry. According to a recent report by All Kids Covered,
We have made real progress in improving those statistics in Colorado during the last few years. At the state and national levels, we have passed policies to expand access to health coverage and make our public programs work better for kids and families. And we have worked at the community level to do a better job connecting kids to coverage. Through continued effort, more can be done. I've worked in public policy in Colorado for nearly a decade and I know there is great value to that experience. But I know that the voice and perspective I bring as a parent also is powerful – perhaps even more so. That is why I'm excited that together with Children's Hospital Colorado, the Children's Campaign is bringing 75 parents and other child advocates to the state Capitol today to make their voices heard on issues important to kids' health. You'll hear and read about this gathering in the days ahead.
Coloradans have always worked together to tackle tough problems. Health care is no different. Getting the care your family needs, when they need it, isn't too much to ask. Working together we can move Colorado closer to that common-sense goal.
Join the Children's Campaign, Children's Hospital Colorado and many Colorado parents to make your voice heard in support of kids health. Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, KidsFlash, at or "like us" on Facebook.
We'll keep you posted about the latest news impacting kids and give you quick and easy ways speak up. Your voice matters because decisions about the health of our children are too important to be left solely to others.
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