BP oil spill at sunset
From Denny: Dr. Irwin Redlener, of the Children's Health Fund, talks about the psychological impact of this oil spill upon children. A study from Columbia University states that children from the Gulf coast region are twice as likely to experience mental and physical problems than other children in the nation. Because of recent events, including the BP oil spill, these children require long term care.
Since the beginning of the BP Gulf oil spill, parents have reported their children have developed new rashes and breathing difficulties since the oil spill began.
www.FreeClinics.US is wanting to sponsor a free clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana to help address the many health needs of local residents because of this oil spill. They are still far short of the necessary funding to conduct the two day clinic on 31 August to 1 September. It seems that the much trumpeted new health care law has yet to reach down to regular people to make much of a positive difference - at least in the Gulf region.
Those free clinics donations have sponsored across America for a mere $2 million have helped over 9,000 people who could not afford health care. They prevented seven suicides, did three open-heart surgeries and helped a man who had been misdiagnosed with HIV to find out to his much relief that he did not have the disease. Activated were an astounding 8,500 volunteers.
Dr. Redlener spells out the five factors of what Gulf coast residents are dealing with: a slow economic recovery, previous trauma from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, looming hurricanes currently in the Gulf region, 25 percent of stressed out families are discussing a mass exodus out of Louisiana to never return, and now psychological and physical problems brought on by the BP oil spill. They have a fear their government will abandon them again. And it sure looks like it while the White House and BP are tripping all over themselves to wrap up this oil spill and declare it "mission accomplished."
Perhaps this long term care project for America's Gulf coast children would be a good project for First Lady Michelle Obama to champion. She's already begun dealing with obesity in America's children. How about making sure these Gulf coast kids get the long term help they need?
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