(RALEIGH) -- Some young North Carolina patients and their parents are lobbying in Washington, D.C. this week, hoping to convince lawmakers not to cut funding for valuable programs. More than 200 children and parents from 18 states are sharing personal stories about legislative decisions that affect their health care options.

Mark Wietecha of the Children's Hospital Association says they're focusing on a pediatric training program for doctors. "We have a federal program which trains about 50 percent of all the pediatric sub-specialists in the United States," said Wietecha. "It's a very important program.  It has been cut back in recent years and right now we're working very hard to have that renewed and reauthorized."

He added that they are also asking Congress not to cut Medicaid, which covers about a million children in North Carolina.