Helmets can save lives

Editor:

Sunday afternoon, July 20, I had the pleasure of going to the Quesnel Rodeo, which I have always enjoyed very much but rarely get to attend as I am usually working in the emergency department at G.R. Baker Hospital over Billy Barker Days.

As a parent and an emergency RN, I was shocked and appalled to see a young child not only participating in a flat race going 40 mph on a 1,000 lbs. animal, but she was also without a helmet.

I am a rider myself and have been on horses all my life during which time I have participated in almost all forms of equine disciplines including English and Western riding, as have my children, and so I am fully aware of all the ins and outs of equestrian sports.

I could not believe what I was seeing. First of all, what was the Quesnel Rodeo Club thinking in allowing this, if not for the best interest of the child, but for the potential liability. Waivers of liability in this type of setting are not worth the paper they are written on.

But worse yet, what were the parents thinking – or not thinking at all – to allow their child to ride without head protection. You do not have to be a genius to realize how quickly horrific accidents can unfold in any equine sport.

Perhaps the parents and the Rodeo Club executives should take a tour of the neurological unit at Vancouver General or B.C. Children’s Hospital and see the youth who are now brain injured or in a persistent vegetative state because they were allowed to be in harm’s way with no helmets. It is bad enough children are severely injured each year due to accidents that just happen, but it is even sadder when they are severely injured in situations that are wholly avoidable.

Joan Bourke

Quesnel

Relays raise $1.7 million

Editor:

I am writing to thank the people of Northern British Columbia for their efforts in this year’s 2008 Relay For Life. The Canadian Cancer Society events in Northern B.C. were held in May and June and collectively raised $1.7 million for the fight against cancer.

Special thanks go to the volunteers who provided the leadership and enthusiasm to make the Relay For Life a true community event.

It is through the generous support of donors, sponsors and volunteers that we work toward our mission to eradicate cancer and to enhance the quality of life of those people living with cancer.

Funds raised from Relay For Life make a very real difference for people with cancer and their families in Northern B.C. Our lodges in Vancouver, Victoria, and Kelowna feature 24-hour nursing supervision, cancer support and a host of amenities. Last year, more than 1,200 northern residents stayed at one of our lodges.

Thank you again for fighting back against cancer, a disease that touches two in five Canadians.

Volunteer opportunities are available across the North. Please contact our regional office at 1-800-811-5666 for further information.

Margaret Jones-Bricker

Manager, Northern Region

Canadian Cancer Society

British Columbia & Yukon Division