On July 4th, 2022, I attended the Highland Park parade with thirteen members of my family. As a Highland Park native, I always anticipated my town’s summer holiday tradition, from days as a child to more recent years as a parent. Within minutes of starting, gunshots repeatedly fired up the street, and a stampede of neighbors barreled toward us. A military-style assault weapon turned our beautiful town square into a war zone. In the aftermath of this life-changing event, I swore that I would do everything in my power to prevent other towns from experiencing similar trauma. I immediately joined March Fourth and used my voice as a pediatrician and mass shooting survivor to demand a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. My husband, a surgeon, and I created the medical committee within March Fourth and recruited physicians from across the country to meet with federal lawmakers. We provided evidence-based research and patient testimony to demonstrate that the Assault Weapons Ban from 1994 to 2004 saved lives. Although the bill passed the House of Representatives in July 2022, the Senate never held a vote. With the new Congress in 2023 and our rapidly increasing nationwide network of experts, researchers, and advocates, our mission to save lives through federal legislation reset.
As physicians, my husband and I have dedicated our lives to helping others equitably and impartially. We recognized the need to expand our efforts to include measures to reduce the impact of gun violence in all communities.
In 2020, for the first time in the history of our country, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death in children. In America, there is no individual, family or town that is immune to gun violence. As such, the cure to this public health epidemic will require more than one solution. One approach to saving lives, with evidence supported by medical research, is gun safety legislation. Through legislation, we can utilize a public health approach to violence mitigation through prevention.
In April 2023, we formed a coalition of physicians and healthcare workers to provide Congress with scientific research and medical testimony to support three critical pieces of legislation:
1. Assault Weapons Ban
2. Safe Storage Regulations
3. Universal Background Checks
We are proud to announce that we have had over 100 meetings with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and have organized several days of advocacy. We will continue to bring healthcare workers from across the country to our nation’s capital to fulfill our Hippocratic Oath. We invite you to join our mission. Please consider volunteering on a committee or donating to sponsor a healthcare worker from your community to travel to Capitol Hill. Help us be a part of the solution.
Respectfully,
Emily Lieberman, MD
Founder of On Call 4 Kids, Pediatrician, Wife, and Mother
On Call 4 Kids 