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
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.
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.
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
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, 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.
