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LETTERS
Vote with head, heart
Dear Editor:
It’s election time all over America, and that means that there’s a lot of information, and misinformation flying around on the Internet via emails and social media sites.
Everyone, regardless of your affiliation to what party, if you must share, please take a moment and make sure what you’re about to forward, or post is at least accurate.
There’s enough garbage out there already, please don’t add more to it. Not only does spreading blatantly wrong information hurt everyone, it makes you look bad, and I mean really, really bad.
It’s a sad reality, but those items that rise our ire, that tug at our heartstrings or simply sound flat out horrifying are often completely false. And if not totally bogus, they’re often so slanted and obfuscated that they might as well be.
There are plenty of authoritative sites to check that what you’ve just received is or is not bogus. Snopes is my favorite for urban legends, and often covers political items as well, but there are many, many others. So, please don’t send junk you received, and did not check to see if it’s true or not.
With that said, please don’t forget to vote with your head, as well, as your heart on Nov. 6, 2012.
Future Wadley Resident
Clyde D’Antignac
Avera family feels officials failed to serve
And other concerned citizens, neighbors, friends of surrounding counties of my birth and the homestead of my parents. Recently the District Attorney of Jefferson County released to this newspaper a “ruling” of no criminal charges in the incident and obvious questionable behavior of not only Officer Jon Hill, but other elected officials. We allege that there are several abuses of power, neglect to the duty of oath or office resulting in the infringement of our civil rights. A lack of proper reports with authorized signatures brings us to the important question facing our citizenship of what recourse is left to those seeking the protection and service of those persons our taxes employ?
In this age of technical advancement and information the facts stand as they do and the truth is a powerful force. The truth has a way of coming back to haunt those who work so hard to cover it up.
We continue to pray for our community and the ability of our leaders to assist our quality of life or not. The times they “are a changing.” May we strive harder to walk with dignity and grace through these times and revelations.
The Avera family
Greg and Lartarsha Avera
More women should take advantage of screenings
Sometimes breast cancer arrives without a calling card. There might not be a lump or a pain or any physical sign that something is wrong.
Because of the improvements in treatments and technology, early signs of breast cancer can be identified without the presence of symptoms. We know that early detection of breast cancer does save lives.
For a variety of reasons, many women in Georgia don’t take advantage of this important screening tooI. So, as a father of two beautiful girls, a husband, a son and a son-in-law, I’m using this opportunity to unabashedly take advantage of Breast Cancer Awareness Month to send this reminder.
Nearly 23 percent of the women over 50 years old eligible for screening did not get it in the last two years. That’s very close to the national average of 22.2 percent; Georgia ranks 11th. We know this from publicly available Georgia data that we incorporate into our own State of the Health Care Report. Although Georgia is slightly better than the national average, our hope is to one day report much better numbers!
Just last month I had the honor of joining six key Georgia-based CEOs on the newly launched American Cancer Society Georgia CEOs Against Cancer committee. As the chairman of this committee, I’m working to recruit other Georgia-based CEOs throughout the state in an effort to increase and improve cancer prevention efforts through employer-based programs and initiatives.
According to the National Cancer Institute, detecting breast cancer early greatly increases patient survival rates and, if cancer is found before it spreads to the lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate can be greater than 98 percent – a very good number!
Based on recommendations of national medical organizations, such as the American Cancer Society and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia encourages annual mammography screenings for women ages 40-49 or those with greater risks for developing breast cancer. For women ages 50-74, mammography screenings are recommended every other year.
Both men and women can take action to encourage screening by reminding colleagues, family and friends of the importance of mammography screenings and early detection and, if appropriate, to schedule their own mammography today.
Life can get hectic and it may seem tough to find the time to fit it all in, but you must remember, it’s not just for you – it’s for you and all of the loved ones around you.
Morgan Kendrick
President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield
of Georgia.
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