@Steph and @Alexia: It’s not the issue with a quote being used in the email address, it’s the problem that there are multiple [different!] characters that all look very similar and the one in the email address above is a fancy formatting quote that *looks* nearly identical an apostrophe character but is infact different to the computer.

I copied the address in the original post. So unless it’s a kink in my way of copying and pasting… Possible though! Recopied it now, hoping the kinks have been worked out. Perhaps adding an apostrophe in an email address to confuse was on purpose? :O

@Steph:
Thanks for the secondary email address. Will amend post.

In my opinion the HSE is a shambles, not to mind the rest of the civil service. Yes there is money out there – something like €260m will be paid out in public service pay increases next year, about half that going into the HSE alone. But we sure won’t be hearing of any public sector pay freeze or even a cut in this increase, oh no, they’d be on strike quicker than you can say “bench-marking brilliance”.

It’s not in my nature to be so defeatist about anything but I have little faith in the government & opposition when it comes to digging us out of the economic mess. I’m sending my words of opposition along with some of possible solution to the email address provided above. I sincerely hope the campaign is successful but unfortunately I won’t be holding my breath. Apparently the vaccine is available from GPs on request – you just have to foot the bill of between €300 & €600. That 1% income levy would have helped cover mine. Cheers Lenihan.

Are you absolutely sure that’s the correct email address? It’s never nice to see extra characters in an email address and having a quote in there is a whole other set of problems.

In the email address shown above from Redmum, the quote in the address is ACUTE ACCENT or Hex 0×92 instead of what I’d expect which is Hex 0×27 APOSTROPHE/quotesingle.

Just pointing this out because perhaps the mail server may not translate correctly between them and have all the mail for the minister silently dropped.

Well done to everyone who’s highlighted this latest scandal from the Harney camp and especially to Red Mum who kick-started the campaign.

And in response to the other Steph…

What price do you put on our daughters lives? Harney has truly lost the run of herself when she puts balancing the coffers ahead of people’s lives. As far as I know, cervical cancer is the only cancer that has a preventative vaccine available and yet our government is turning down this opportunity???

Meaghan’s brave story above is testament to the importance of giving every girl the best chance possible to avoid the horrors of cervical cancer.

I despair over Harney. And the sad thing is, I don’t think we’ve heard the half of it yet.

@Steph sorry I don’t agree, so harney says there is no money for it and we just lie down and take it. Nope, the money for this could be found, if there was a will. It is shortsighted and Harney talking about the screening process, which hasn’t started yet, as the catch all and saviour of the day is nonsense. What about trying to catch it before hand?

@Lexia thanks for blogging this, deeply appreciated.

“The long-term consequences of Gardasil are not known. The manufacturer admits this and agrees it does not know its effect on young girls’ cancer risk, on their immunity system, on their reproductive system, or its genetic effects. In due course, we will know this, possibly in twenty or thirty years from now when these young girls, the innocent subjects of the Gardasil experiment have become grown women and then report the consequences of their having taken the medication in their childhood on medical advice.”

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/dec/07121905.html

Shouldn’t there be more discussion about the vaccine before people start piling on the government?

Here is my story:

Meaghan was a young, healthy vibrant 28 year old attending law school in the winter of 2006. During her second year of classes she began feeling ill. She went to numerous doctors looking for help. Each doctor suggested it was all in Meaghan’s head; maybe she was depressed, mentally ill or over-stressed. Because she was young and had always been healthy the doctors assumed nothing could be seriously wrong. Enduring extreme pain, bleeding and exhaustion Meaghan kept returning to her doctors looking for help. Still no one did anything to address any of her health issues. Meaghan’s symptoms became worse with each passing day. Because no one believed she was ill she continued to attend classes and tried to live a normal life. Eventually the pain became so unbearable she drove herself to the ER.

The doctors at the Emergency Room also suggested Meaghan’s pain was in her head. However, due to the symptoms she complained of they were required to give her a CT scan. The CT scan showed Meaghan’s pain was NOT in her head. She had a large tumor on her cervix. The tumor had grown so large it had crushed her ureters causing her kidneys to rip open. In February 2007 Meaghan was finally diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer, stage 3b. The same doctors that had assured her she was fine were now telling her and her family that she would not survive.

Meaghan decided not to give up but rather to fight. After two weeks of hospitalization and blood transfusions Meaghan was flown to Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston Massachusetts. Upon arrival the doctors were both amazed and horrified. Amazed at this young woman’s spirit and horrified at the pain she was forced to endure. Teams of doctors attended Meaghan in an effort to diminish her pain and save her life. Meaghan underwent chemo, internal and external radiation as well as numerous surgeries. With only a 20% chance of surviving Meaghan and her doctors fought hard against cancer. In July 2007 she won her battle and was cancer free.

Although she won her fight Meaghan continues to struggle against the secondary effects of her treatments. Cancer has changed her life forever. Meaghan returned to law school and is set to graduate in December 2008.

Without the love, care and attention Meaghan received at Dana Farber Cancer Institute she would not have survived. Because of this Meaghan has dedicated herself to raising awareness and supporting Cancer Institutes. To learn more about Meaghan and her story visit her blog at http://www.cancerlost.blogspot.com

Ray Darcy did a thing about this on the radio this morning too. There’s a form email on his page (through todayfm.com) that can be sent to Mary’s email address.

Dave