Letters to the Editor, Sept. 13
Praise for nurses
The competent nursing care I received for a recent health challenge reminded me of a poignant event in a hospital where I had served as chaplain. I became acquainted with Judy, a young student nurse.
After discovering that one of her patients was from her home town, Judy often spent her lunch break visiting with her newfound friend. One day, Judy went to lunch with her classmates, but not before assuring her patient that she would stop by afterward.
Her friend died while she was at lunch. Judy blamed herself for not being there and began sobbing outside the nursing station. I was called from the chaplain’s office and began counseling Judy in a nearby conference room.
The nursing school director joined us. Upon seeing her instructor, Judy burst out, “I must quit! I am just too caring for this job.” The instructor’s wise response has stayed with me ever since: “Dear, you can’t quit. Your caring helps cure people. That’s what will make you a good nurse. Now go back to work!”
We watched a newly transformed nurse, with tearstained cheeks, stride confidently back to care for her patients.
That very compassion is obvious in nurses who see their careers as more than a paycheck. Their compassionate care for their patients has facilitated my healing through recent health challenges.
Rev. Samuel Orrin Sewell, Naples
Weakening American freedom
The cancellation of primaries and caucuses for the nomination of the president is an attack on the basic tenets of our republic. To deny the citizens, the voters, of our America the right to choose candidates in a free and fair manner is the subversion of our Democracy.
How many people and families have given their all for our freedoms? How and why should a few powerful individuals sabotage and effectively weaken American Freedom?
Max Finkelstein, Naples
Courage in Parliament
This week, members of the British government have shown us how a Democracy should work when members of their Parliament stood up for their country interests before their political party, at the costs of their careers.
The silence of our senators, unwilling to vote on any issues for the needs of our nation proves they are incapable of the courage shown by the British and they value their career gains over our countries needs.
Where will these spineless pols find jobs when their voters wake up? Maybe they can work at a Trump Hotel or drive one of his golf carts.
Ron Connelly, Naples
Did you know?
According to the World Health Organization, one in every three cancers diagnosed is a skin cancer. As troubling as that may seem, it might not give the full picture as to the prevalence of skin cancer.
The American Institute for Cancer Research notes that estimating skin cancer incidence is uniquely challenging because of the sheer volume of sub-types of skin cancer. The AICR says that non-melanoma skin cancer is often not tracked by cancer registries, and even when it is, many registrations are incomplete because most cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are successfully treated.
So, skin cancer might be even more prevalent today than statistics indicate, and the WHO notes it may only become more so in coming decades due to ozone depletion. As ozone levels are depleted, the atmosphere loses more and more of its protective filter. That loss means more solar radiation will reach the Earth's surface, leading to a spike in skin cancer rates. In fact, the WHO estimates that a 10 percent decrease in ozone levels could result in 300,000 additional cases of non-melanoma skin cancers and 4,500 more cases of melanoma skin cancers.
The good news is that scientists with NASA recently documented direct proof that the Antarctic ozone is recovering, a recovery that scientists credit to the 1987 landmark agreement known as the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer. That agreement, which was ratified by 197 United Nations member countries, led to the phasing out of substances linked to ozone depletion.