Accessing struct variable using another variable.

Hi, I will like to use another a variable to modify another variable like a pointer in C programming.

distance.rate = 10;
a = distance.rate.rate; 
distance.rate.rate = 20;

a is still 10 but I want to make "a" link to "distance.rate.rate" is it possible?

I have many variable with really long name so it will be helpful to refer to it using a few letters.