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Robert Seth Hayes is one of the longest held political prisoners in the United States. He is 66 years old and suffers from multiple chronic and concerning medical problems. As you may know, the Medical Justice Project for Prisoners of War and Political Prisoners waged a medical campaign for Seth a few months ago regarding rapid and concerning weight loss as well as poorly controlled diabetes. Neither of these concerns have been addressed to date. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYS DOCCS) states on its website that denial of adequate medical care is a violation of a person’s eighth amendment constitutional rights, so please help demand that Seth be provided with proper care.

Please join the phone and fax campaign!
Talking points and sample letter below.

THINGS YOU CAN DO:
1) On Monday, 4/27 and Tuesday, 4/28 please call:

• Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci, NYS Department of Corrections at 518.457.8134
• Dr. Carl J. Koenigsmann, Chief Medical Officer, DOCCS Division of Health Services at 518.457.7073
• Nancy A. Lyng, MS, Director of Health Services, at 518.445.6176

2) On Wednesday, 4/29 and Thursday 4/30, please fax (you can use a free online fax service like faxzero.com if needed):

• Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci at Fax: 518.457.0076
• Dr. Carl J. Koenigsmann M.D. at Fax: 518.457.2115
• Nancy A. Lyng, MS at Fax: 518.445.6157

Suggested talking points:

• State who you are calling about and include his prisoner number: Robert Seth Hayes,  #74-A- 2280 at Sullivan Correctional Facility;
• Say that you are requesting:
  nnn1) an assessment and modification of his insulin treatment,
  nnn2) that he is given a full work-up to have potential malignancies been ruled out considering his weight loss, and,
  nnn3) that he is finally prescribed a diabetic diet.

Please email nycjericho@gmail.com and let them know what response you receive.

Sample letter for faxing or mailing:

Carl J. Koenigsmann M.D.
Deputy Commissioner/Chief Medical Officer
NYS DOCCS Division of Health Services
Harriman State Campus, Building #2
1220 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12226-2050
Fax: 518.457.2115

Dear Dr. Koenigsmann,

I am writing on behalf of Robert Seth Hayes, #74-A-2280, DOB 10-15-48, who is currently a prisoner at Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York.

Mr. Hayes suffers from poorly controlled diabetes mellitus with frequent bouts of hypoglycemia, as well as weight loss of 40 pounds (22% of his original body weight) in a short time. These health concerns have not been addressed by medical staff at Sullivan Correctional Institution despite numerous requests by the patient, family, concerned medical providers, and the general public.  He has not even been prescribed a diabetic diet.

I am writing to register my grave concern about the health of Mr. Hayes and to request that he receive appropriate follow-up and treatment immediately for:

1)    poorly controlled diabetes with multiple episodes of hypoglycemia and lack of access to the DOCC diabetic diet; and
2)    significant and alarming weight loss, the etiology of which is currently unknown and should be assessed for potential malignancies

I thank you for your prompt attention to these medical matters.
Sincerely,

______________________

cc: Anthony J. Annucci, Acting Commissioner at Fax: 518.457.0076, Nancy A. Lyng, MS, Director of Health Services at Fax: 518.445.6157