Our Collective Effort to Eliminate Tuberculosis

In early March, Partners In Health (PIH), alongside the TBFighters, We Are TB, and the TB Roundtable, participated in one of the United States' largest global health advocacy events aimed at eliminating tuberculosis (TB). This year's TB Hill Day convened around 300 advocates, including volunteers, experts, and survivors-representing all 50 states-at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

This event has grown significantly in the last couple of years with the support and spotlight of bestselling author and PIH Trustee, John Green. In 2024, TB Hill Day consisted of 35 meetings with congressional offices. This year, advocates attended 265 meetings with Congress, including all 100 Senate offices.

Green's book, Everything Is Tuberculosis, and videos on his VlogBrothers YouTube channel have helped garner much-needed attention for TB, the world's deadliest infectious disease. With his influence, a group of advocates called the TBFighters joined the movement to make care more accessible worldwide.

The TBFighters have helped make TB Hill Day what it is today-an enormous event that brings folks from diverse backgrounds together to help move toward a world without TB. Following this year's record-breaking day of meetings, we spoke with four TBFighters to learn about their experiences participating in D.C. Check out their responses, edited and condensed, below:

Celeste Moss, she/her, first TB Hill Day

A year ago, I didn't know TB Hill Day even existed, let alone that my state wasn't represented at the last one. Being able to ensure Oklahoma had a voice this time meant so much to me. I felt really prepared, especially thanks to the PIH team, who helped me gain confidence through a variety of virtual advocacy opportunities over the past year. Arriving in DC having already established relationships with the offices of my members of Congress meant we were able to build on past conversations and make meaningful progress.

Being together with nearly 300 advocates who all share the same passion for ending tuberculosis filled me with more hope than I've felt in a long time. If I've learned anything from Hill Day, it's that we are so much stronger as a community than as individuals, and what a delight it has been to have found such a cool hive of bees to work with.

Advocacy is hard, but when you're doing hard things with friends, it's not so scary. We show up not because we expect to win every campaign, but because the other option is complacency, and we refuse to accept a world where over a million people are still dying each year from a disease we've known how to cure since the 1950s. I hope for a future where TB Hill Day is no longer necessary because tuberculosis is gone for good. Until then, we stand in solidarity.

Connor Hay, he/him, second TB Hill Day

With it being my second Hill Day, I had a lot more excitement than nerves. I was excited to see all the friends I had made at the previous Hill Day, and through the subsequent TBFighters advocacy sessions, livestreams, etc.

There were some nerves still, however, since this year I was "state captain" for Massachusetts. This meant that, even though my meetings were all in the afternoon, I spent most of the day (and many hours leading up to Hill Day) making sure everyone in our Massachusetts delegation had what they needed to have successful meetings. And everything went well!

My favorite meeting had to be my House meeting, my last one of the day. This was my first time meeting the staffer in person, and she was extremely friendly and receptive to our asks. It was truly inspiring to witness the experts who accompanied me speak with such depth, passion, and compassion for those still suffering the injustice of TB today.

It was an incredibly fulfilling day, and just like last year, I walked away with my "hope battery" fully refreshed and ready for another year of fighting TB.

Nichole Ezell, she/her, first TB Hill Day

TB Hill Day was an incredibly eye-opening experience for me. I met so many passionate people who are focused on making the world-and millions of people's lives-better.

At Hill Day, we had the opportunity to participate in our democratic process in action. State team members and I met with staffers for congressmen and senators (and even met with a senator), which gave me an inside view of how constituents-common, everyday citizens-can impact and improve the policies that ultimately affect US support. It was truly an unforgettable and meaningful two days.

In those two days, I made so many new friends and also met a ton of people that I had known for years while working together to raise awareness of tuberculosis and the TBFighters organization. We work as a group to change the world, gaining the notice of the people who we-the citizens-elected to represent us. I am so proud of the work the whole community did that day, and the work we continue to do every day.

Quinn Yates, he/him, second TB Hill Day

With over 300 advocates, survivors, and experts, Hill Day was marked by a strong sense of community. We exchanged anti-TB friendship bracelets (adding to my growing collection from last year) and cheered each other on as we entered the post-Hill Day after-party, along with much, much more.

Starting with stories from TB survivors, the training went over everything from how the appropriations process is supposed to work (and how it really works) to how to actually conduct the meetings. By the end, I was armed with sheets of facts, statistics, and asks for my meetings. It is safe to say I could not have been more prepared.

And I was right! My meetings went surprisingly well. And on the Hill, I was constantly reminded of our community. I frequently saw other advocates wearing our little "TB IS NOT OVER!" enameled pin as they made their way to their next meeting. It was hard to escape our community and the idea that we brought with us: that ending TB is a possibility.

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