ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
Feb. 10, immunization advocates from across the Sunflower State will be in Topeka as part of talking to state leaders about the importance of vaccinating.
The Immunize Kansas Coalition, along with its partners and community advocates, will take part in the coalition’s Advocacy Day, and IKC Policy Team Chair Shelby Ostrom said the group will educate lawmakers and others on the importance of vaccinations.
“We talk to them about the types of vaccinations that are important and hone in on the importance of vaccinating for a variety of diseases,” she said. “This year, it’s particularly important with some of the changes that are going on at the federal level to support vaccination as it currently is.”
Ostrom and IKC Chair-Elect Anne Zajic will conduct a training the morning of Feb. 10 with advocates.
“We’re going to talk to advocates about how to talk to their legislators, some of the things to say and how to schedule meetings with their legislators, and we are going to the capitol after that and encouraging people to go talk to their legislators,” Ostrom said. “We’re also going to have an education table as well.”
After this, an Advocacy Day lunch will be served, with several lawmakers in attendance, and Ostrom said two legislators in particular will be speaking at the luncheon.
“Senator Bill Clifford is an eye doctor, and he is also the vice chair of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee,” she said. “We also have Representative Ron Bryce, who is a retired physician, and he is the vice chair of the Health and Human Services Committee in the House.”
Zajic is also a cancer survivor, and she will be speaking at the luncheon about her experience and why the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was important for her.
“We will also have Eddie Lyon,” Ostrom said. “He is a pediatrician, and he’s going to be talking about the importance of pediatrics vaccinations. After that, it’ll be up to people to go talk to their legislators after lunch.”
In addition to the importance of vaccinating, Ostrom said the biggest priority of Advocacy Day is reminding lawmakers vaccines still work and are incredibly effective.
“They’re still incredibly effective,” she said. “The measles vaccine, MMR, in particular is 95 percent effective at preventing measles.”
Likewise, Ostrom said advocates want to remind state leaders vaccines are still an issue, and it is important established recommendations are maintained.
As for Advocacy Day itself, Ostrom said the event is incredibly important and quite effective in getting IKC’s message across.
“We’ve already had great conversations with some legislators prior to Advocacy Day, and continuing to build those relationships with your legislators is incredibly important,” she said. “I always say it’s really about reminding your legislators who their constituents are and their constituents find vaccines incredibly important and reminding them they are there to work for the people and encouraging them to keep vaccinations on their radar.”
Ostrom said she hopes people will leave Advocacy Day with the experience of talking to lawmakers and learning a little about how the legislative process works.
“Also, I’m hoping people really get engaged with the legislative process, especially right now,” she said. “I feel it’s incredibly important for people to stay engaged with their legislators, particularly with their local legislators and tell them all the things that are going on. With all the things that are going on, vaccinations are incredibly important. We want to encourage people to get involved in their local communities.”
To register for Advocacy Day, visit www.immunizekansascoalition.org, go to the “About IKC” tab, and click on “Meetings.”
“You can look at the meetings we’re having, and Feb. 10 will be up there,” Ostrom said. “You can register on that page.”
As for the rest of 2026, Ostrom said IKC’s focus is primarily on advocating for the importance of vaccinations, and that importance is emphasized even more with action taking place at the federal level.
“We really want to encourage people to get vaccinated and continue to get vaccinated when things like the flu and COVID-19 are still really important,” she said. “This year, for us, is going to be just reminding people vaccinations are really important.”
For more information about Advocacy Day, call Ostrom at 913-909-5197. Ostrom is quite excited for Feb. 10 in Topeka.
“It’s going to be a great day,” she said.
