Night time at Trinity

Harney Feminist!!!

ROFL have a look at the search term that brought someone to the blog this morning :)



Does this qualify as oxymoron of the day, the week even ;)

Autumns nearly gone

IF the bare trees are anything to go by.

Sexual politics rearing ugly head on HPV vaccine

LAST night I received a very interesting (chokes) message on Facebook from a complete and utter ignoramus and I thought I would share it with you. I won't be a complete pig and publish her details, much as I am tempted to. But lets just call her by her first initial, G. To me G represents the worst of the smoke-screen arguments being uttered on this vaccine.

She says: "I wonder why you invest so much of your time promoting this vaccine. If you are so worried about your daughter's health shouldnt you be spending time with her instead explaining to her that sex at 12 is not a great idea? I am sorry to put it this way but I just find it so shocking that a mum can support this type of "emergency measures" instead of devoting her time to educate and explain the main things to her daughter. If you expect your daughter to be sexually active by 12 then theres many worst things than cervical cancer that she could get from that. Many are still incurable and they are not only health related problems."

Mmm.

So I'll take this line at a time because unfortunately as we saw in the Sunday papers the nonsense has probably played a bigger part in influencing the decision to deny our daughters this vaccination than we have been led to believe. This argument is a woeful throwback to the jaded and faded sexual politics of the past, from people who believe they hold a higher moral ground than most of us. Once again I will just say mmmm or should that read shame on the whole bloody lot of you.

"I wonder why you invest so much of your time promoting this vaccine. If you are so worried about your daughter's health shouldnt you be spending time with her instead explaining to her that sex at 12 is not a great idea?"

Firstly you have no idea of how or what I have already explained/talked to my daughter. Rather like your message which is full of dreadful inaccuracies, you are talking nonsense about my daughter who is not 12 years old. My daughter is too old to receive the vaccine, she was too old even if it was introduced this year and too old even if the Government had decided in its initial announcement to include 13 to 15 year olds, my daughter was still too old.

"I am sorry to put it this way but I just find it so shocking that a mum can support this type of "emergency measures" instead of devoting her time to educate and explain the main things to her daughter."

No problems G apology for your utter ignorance accepted. I find it shocking that someone would call what is essentially a vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer from developing in 70 to 80 per cent of the recipients 'emergency measures'. How do you explain that? Its makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever, if you want a different view point have a read of some of the testimonies that members of the Facebook group have written on the discussion board of their own experiences of this cancer. Dismiss them all you like, their stories only make me more fervent in my belief our campaign is right.

"If you expect your daughter to be sexually active by 12 then theres many worst things than cervical cancer that she could get from that. Many are still incurable and they are not only health related problems."

Aside from the fact, which has nothing to do with anything really but I have to add it, my daughter is not 12. But that is not to say that another mother who wants this for their 12-year-old is somehow being irresponsible, or indeed encouraging their child to become sexually active.

I would dearly love someone to explain to me how on earth they equate this vaccine with becoming sexually active young because I really do not see it and do not get it.

Do they think a 12-year-old thinks 'thank Heavens for that, I am now vaccinated against HPV so I won't (well a 70 to 80 per cent chance) in my future life contract cervical cancer, lets go get jiggy'. Really? Do you think that? Are you wise?

If a 12-year-old is having sex the reason for that is as far away from your explanation as you can get. I wonder how many 12 year olds you have been around.

Indeed a pal said: "Sure in my school we got a rubella vaccination at 13, to protect any unborn babies against German Measles...we didn't all run out and have sex cos our babies would then be protected from rubella! And it's a vaccine for CANCER! Not a free for all for sex."

"If you expect your daughter to be sexually active by 12 then theres many worst things than cervical cancer that she could get from that. Many are still incurable and they are not only health related problems."

MMmm advice from someone whose point of view is somewhat offensive to me, no thanks. You show up your ignorance ten-fold. So there are things worse, like hellfire and damnation perhaps?

At the end of the day G, if you have daughters, hopefully at some stage you have a choice whether or not to allow them to have a vaccine that will protect them in later life against 70 to 80 per cent of cases of cervical cancer. As it stands now we will continue to campaign to have this choice for our daughters so your phrase of 'invest' my time is very apt.

As an aside and it really has nothing to do with this issue G but I feel compelled to spell it out, you don't know anything about me, nothing to enable you to judge as you do in your message. It is funny though because I find myself now judging you and it isn't favourable.

Saturday's rally calling on Harney to reinstate the HPV vaccine

SORRY sorry I meant to post about the weekend rally before now but things have been really busy, this is really my first chance to. About 100 people turned up and while I would have loved to see thousands turn up I am also (mostly) realistic and see Saturday as the beginning of a broader campaign, more action will be planned which of course I will post here. I should also say (cos it kinda read that I did) I didn't organise the rally, I set up the Facebook group, got details of the rally and publicised it through the group. Then again while the group may not have decided on where, what and when for the rally, but members did Trojan work spreading the word.

Meanwhile the group has been growing and growing, with lots and lots of comments not to mention links. Between Saturday lunchtime and today the group doubled in size. I have found this phenomenal and absolutely brilliant. Currently there are 5, 355 members and growing.

Throughout the last couple of days I have been able to click refresh on my browser and see the numbers climb upwards. So do expect the campaign to pick up momentum. If you haven't done so please do join the group and we'll keep you informed of anything and everything planned around this issue. Pics of the rally are up on Flickr.

Rally today for the cervical cancer vaccine

THIS afternoon I'll be meeting with, hopefully, lots and lots of other angry people at the rally organised to tell Harney that we want our daughters to receive the cervical cancer vaccine. Are you going?

We are meeting this afternoon at 2pm at the Spire on O'Connell Street, Dublin and then going to the Teachers' Club at 3.30pm for a public meeting. You can read more on the Irish Times.

Are you Facebook? If so please join the group where the campaign continues.

I have to give a massive shout out of thanks to Gavin who has been absolutely brilliant giving lots of help and more with the group. At times we have been chatting on Facebook astounded watching the numbers joining steadily rise with each page refresh.

As I write this some 2, 435 members have joined and climbing, we have not been able to work out how many invites members have sent out as once you reach 6,000 invites Facebook doesn't tell you how many invites after that. We reached 6,000 invites on November 14th.

Hopefully this response will be matched on the streets today. People are angry about this we need to let Harney know it.

Morning snap

You always see this guy sleeping in the doorways around the Dail. I spotted him one morning holding up an article, I think about him, up to his face.

Save cervical cancer services rally

Defend Women's Health Rally:

Save Cervical Cancer Services for Girls and Women.

Saturday, 15th November (this Saturday) at the Spire, O'Connell Street at 2pm

Join the Facebook group

Harney in the Dáil again on cervical cancer - more guff

I CAPTURED Harney's contribution to the Private Members' Motion on the cervical cancer vaccine. Its a long one so sorry about that, but it is worth watching if you are following this debate as I noticed some inconsisitencies between her interview with Ray D'Arcy yesterday morning and what she said in the Dáil last night. One glaring one was in the morning she spoke of the vaccine for next year in secondary schools (as if to say she would somehow find the money between now and then) and then last night she spoke of next year in primary schools. Clarification please.



I could blog about this at length but a number of things strike me about this.

Firstly the Government's constant argument about screening, screening, screening is nothing more than a smoke screen. The screening only began in September, it is important but it is not the be all and end of all of this, not when there is a vaccine.

This is a vaccine against cancer, I might repeat that for emphasis, this is a vaccine against cancer. I know it doesn't give 100 per cent protection but thats okay because the women will be screened. Both vaccine and screening go hand in hand or should go hand in hand.
For 70 per cent of women who would receive the vaccine, they will be saved from ever contracting cervical cancer.

If this programme doesn't happen as it was planned, who knows when it will. I am not fooled in the slightest by any of the guff put forward by the Government. Thats why I am continuing with this.

There is talk of a demo, when I hear where and when, I'll post the details. And do check out the other posts as there are many comments with great suggestions you should check out as well as trackbacks to all the other bloggers highlighting this issue. You can also check out all the different blogs on this subject at Irish Blogs.

Woo Hoo

WOO HOO; I got a lovely surprise this morning when I learnt via Twitter (thanks Darragh) that I was one of two recipients of October Blog Post of the Month. The post is question was one I wrote about the demonstrations following the Budget, which you can catch here.

Thanks a million whoever nominated me, it really was a wonderful surprise on a sh*tty Monday morning and thanks to everyone for all the congrats :)

As I said I was one of two posts of the month, make sure you stop by the other winner, Gimme, with a beautifully written and very poignant post which you can read on his blog, Stranded on GaiA.

And thanks again :)

Some more action on Cervical Cancer

FOLLOWING on from yesterday's fantastic response from angry people to the disgraceful decision to scrap plans for the cervical cancer vaccine, I felt I should try my best to keep this live.

If you have already emailed Harney with a photograph of your daughter (minister's_office@health.irlgov.ie) and emailed your friends and family urging them to do the same, there are another couple of things you can do to keep the pressure on.

You could contact your local Government representative, you will find all their emails on the Oireachtas website and let them know you are not happy. You can also call them to the Dáil by phoning (01) 618 3000 and asking to be connected. Incidentally I have not received any acknowledgement from Harney's office that my correspondence was received, nice work there. I didn't expect much but some kind of 'we received your email' response would be the least I expect. Maybe it was just a hectic day for emails in her office ;)

In addition you can sign the online petition which is doing the rounds and which you can find here and please do send the link on to everyone in your email address book.

Doing one or both of these won't take a huge amount of time but do not underestimate the impact a barrage of phone calls can have, look at the pensioners and medical cards if you don't believe it.

Let's make sure this issue doesn't fade away over the weekend. And thanks to everyone who has helped so far.

Christmas is coming

CHRISTMAS is coming and the O'Connell Street tree, a new one no less, is being constructed as we speak. Apparently it will be lit on Sunday. No harm to anyone but I am still in autumn, not the run-up to Christmas.

One good thing though I have gotten some presents out of the way, some small things I got over the summer, and some other things over the last couple of weeks. I haven't gone mad and won't go mad but it is good this year to be starting to get it out of the way. The last couple of years finances have left things to the last minute and it is not that they are much better this year, but I am determined to do bits and pieces as the weeks move on.

Anyway this wasn't supposed to be a Christmas post, thats your fault for letting me ramble on, the purpose of the post was this photograph.

Harney's statement in the Dáil

HARNEY made a statement on her cervical cancer vaccine decision, I have more footage of the questions put to her by other TDs at the end of the debate, but it is about half an hour long and am not sure if even google video can handle that.

I was also thinking if people wanted to send me on the photographs of their daughters I will compile them together into a video which we can also send to Minister Harney. If I don't get many I won't bother understanding that people are not comfortable with it.

And many thanks to people for acting on this, I received a copy of my post back to my work email before lunchtime. Don't forget to email Harney with pics of your daughters minister's_office@health.irlgov.ie

Email Harney photographs of your daughters

EDIT: @ 12.22pm Ray Darcy has a page on Today FM's website where you can email directly as well as providing Harney's email address to send her pics of your daughters. Minister Harney is also making a statement in the next couple of minutes which I will post when it is over.

THE GOVT's decision to halt its proposed HPV vaccination programme was featured heavily on the radio this morning. I caught most of Harney's interview on Morning Ireland and if she listed what she is doing one more time (such as other vaccines for babies - sorry not a good point Mary this should all be provided anyway) I was going to spit . The link to her interview is available on the RTE website, here's a link to full section and here's a link to the Harney interview. Edit :@ 12.26pm the links to Morning Ireland are now up.

Then just as I was going into work I switched onto Ray Darcy and while I missed the main feature he did on the ridiculous and appalling decision not to provide our daughters with the vaccine I did hear a great idea from a listener.

Let's send Mary Harney photographs of our daughters.

Let's show her all the young girls who are being denied this vaccine that could prevent some of them getting cervical cancer in later life. This decision has nothing to do with the screening programme that should be done anyway and nothing anyone can say can make me feel any differently.

If you feel strongly about this please email Harney, here's her email minister's_office@health.irlgov.ie - I will be emailing her and I am urging all my friends with daughters to do the same. Please do it too and please ask your friends to also take part. The cost of this is nothing, nothing compared to saving someone from cervical cancer in the future.

What a night, Obama President-elect

WHAT A night, stayed up too late, got up too late. But happy, I'm very happy. Well done Obama and to everyone who campaigned to put him in the White House. Wow the first black president, I am thrilled to see the day.



And to Irish people see what can be done? Decisions are in our hands, but of course we have to vote. We cannot be jaded about this, if you don't vote you leave decisions that concern you to others. I am at the point now, and particularly enthused by last night and events of recent weeks here in Ireland, where the standard response from people of having no interest in politics won't wash because your refusal to exercise one of the most fought after and most important things you possess, your vote, hits me and my family hard.

HPV vaccination programme 'put on hold'

I CAN'T believe it though in fairness why it surprises me I don't know but Health Minister Harney has put on the back burner a programme to vaccinate 12 year olds in the recently announced HPV vaccination programme. Read more on the Irish Times website.

So why doesn't this surprise me, well given the delays and hassles surrounding the rolling out of Breastcheck, a national breast screening programme, why on earth would this Government make a vaccination a priority that could prevent one of our children getting cervical cancer in the future.

This was only announced last August and it only took until the beginning of November for it to be scrapped, let's face it who has any faith in this Government's phrase of putting it on hold.

At the time I was annoyed that at 16 the Young Wan wouldn't get a look in, in fact neither were 13 to 15 year olds as the Government decided that it was too expensive to include a catch-up programme. And yes I know that a small majority of kids are sexually active at that age, but come on, this could save lives.

So from my initial thoughts which were great once again my family doesn't matter and now it seems that the young girls who were almost lucky enough to be included in this programme, now won't be. So it is just as well plans for the national cervical cancer screening programme are underway, unless of course this ends up being like the national breast cancer screening programme.

Shame on you Harney, this was about saving lives, now it is about saving money.