Babies born too soon
Re: “The tiny survivors,” Aug. 26-27 news stories.
We are most pleased with the articles in The Denver Post bringing attention to the issue of premature babies. To quote The Post, “the number of babies born at fewer than 37 weeks of gestation began rising in the 1980s and reached 12.4 percent of all births in 2005 – a 30 percent increase since 1983 … . there is no known cause for half the cases.” These statistics and the others quoted in the articles paint a dire picture of what lies ahead for many of these infants.
We are acquainted with many researchers who have spent their entire careers trying to answer the question as to the causes of prematurity, knowing that the human toll is astronomical both financially and emotionally. However, the problem is as complex and heartbreaking as breast cancer. Unfortunately, the resources to get to the bottom of the problem have not been there. For example, although we fund breast cancer research handsomely, with National Institutes of Health funding of about $5,000 per case, NIH funding for prematurity research amounts to only about $100 per case.
Recently, a number of interested parties formed the HealthyWomen-HealthyBabies Roundtable to call attention to the issue of prematurity and to bring together groups that are interested in the issue of preventing this condition. The roundtable includes non-profit organizations like the March of Dimes and Newborn Hope, legislators, health insurance companies, researchers and community foundations. The goal is to improve birth outcomes in Colorado through community partnerships and enhanced research. We thank you for furthering our cause by presenting the issue so prominently.
Jane Gibbs, Denver
Peggy Neville, Denver
The writers are co-chairs of the HealthyWomen-HealthyBabies Roundtable.
…
Thank you, reporter Karen Augé and photographer Andy Cross, for your recent stories on the struggles of premature babies, their families, and the heroic medical teams that fight for the lives of these tiny beings. The stories reflected so well the agony, fear, and roller coaster of emotions played out everyday in our neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Many families throughout our Western region can empathize with the families profiled because we too have been there. But as families face the anguish and intense highs and lows brought on by their child’s early birth, they need to know that there is hope and support for their child and themselves as they leave the hospital and enter the world of early intervention – education and therapy that every child with delays and disabilities is guaranteed under federal law.
The Anchor Center for Blind Children is celebrating its 25th year of providing developmental education and support services for young children and their families. As my son and our family left the NICU and entered an unknown and new world, we discovered that beyond the fear, sadness and caring of the NICU is the hope, optimism and possibility brought to us by the many professionals working in the field of early intervention in Colorado.
The Anchor Center for Blind Children moved into its new educational facility this week. This beautiful facility symbolizes the faith that the greater Denver community has in each and every one of our children – to reach whatever his or her potential might be. Life will continue for these families; it will be full, rich and joyful; and the supports and knowledge necessary for every child to reach his potential are there.
Karen Roberts, Family Specialist, Anchor Center for Blind Children, Denver
Future of Denver’s mountain parks
Re: “What’s next for mountain parks?” Aug. 26 editorial.
As a participant in recent discussions examining the recreational future of Denver’s extraordinary, 14,000-acre mountain park system, I agree that partnerships with public entities like Douglas County should be supported. However, before we consider more “corporate” or private-sector solutions, we should think twice about the long-term implications of leasing or lending out our city’s mountain parks future.
The real answer to protecting the legacy of the mountain park system is to make it more relevant to the people who live in Denver.
As a member of the board of directors of Denver Public Schools’ Balarat Outdoor Education School and the founder of the state’s largest snowsports diversity initiative, I can tell you that outside of the one day of mountain recreation that DPS’s 4,400 fifth-graders receive each year, more than 90 percent of Denver kids still never get to the mountains during their entire youth.
As the eyes of 15,000 journalists begin focusing on Denver before, during and after the upcoming 2008 Democratic National Convention, isn’t this embarrassing for a city that is literally defined by its mountains?
Candidly, the real reason Denver citizens are not supporting a mill levy to protect and promote our glorious mountain parks system is because we have allowed our mountain parks and most forms of mountain recreation in this state to become irrelevant to Denverites and in fact the vast majority of Colorado kids. When the manager of Denver Parks and Recreation tells us that less than one-third of the people using our mountain parks are actually Denverites, that should send a signal to the City Council that we have failed to promote this city’s most glorious asset. It is an asset that provides extraordinary educational and health benefits and which is fundamental to the long-term preservation of our regional and national parks’ and forests’ future.
We have hundreds of thousands of kids who live at the doorstep of what is arguably the most extraordinary mountain recreation resource in the world; and yet most of our kids never get there.
Kids who do not go to mountains as children are destined to not care about mountains as adults when they are voters. Aren’t we already seeing evidence of such ambivalence?
Roberto Moreno, Founder, Alpino Mountain Sports Foundation, Denver
Telephone taxation
Re: “These taxes are just a sin,” Aug. 26 Perspective article.
Hurrah for the Perspective article by Justin Longo of the Independence Institute exposing the scandal of outrageous taxes on communication services.
I just received my latest bill from Qwest, showing $20.88 for my “services” – standard phone line plus call waiting. But my total bill was for $32.94. So what was the extra $12.06 for? Listed as “taxes, fees, and surcharges” were “Federal Excise, State Sales, County Sales, City Sales, Special District Sales, City Occupation, Local 911, Federal Universal Service Fund, Colorado Universal Service Fund, Facility Relocation Cost Recovery Fee, Colorado Telecommunications Relay Service Fund, Federal Access Charge.” That’s right, 12 extras, amounting to more than half (57.8 percent) of the phone “services” I actually use, or more than a third (36.6 percent) of my total bill.
What can we do about this outrage?
Tom Longua, Westminster
Princess Diana’s death
Re: “The Diana cult still disappoints,” Aug. 30 Cal Thomas column.
I shouldn’t be surprised that the media and public prefer glamorous, exciting stories of tragedy and possible conspiracy while completely ignoring the mundane. I believe the saddest aspect of Princess Diana’s death is that both she and Dodi Fayed might have survived the car accident had they been wearing seat belts. Why has no one made her the poster child for seat belt use?
Pam Lingle, Littleton
No “Gunsmoke”?
Re: “Eagle anchors park honoring Dennis Weaver,” Aug. 26 news story.
How in the world could your story on Dennis Weaver fail to mention “Gunsmoke,” the longest running and most popular Western series in TV history – the show that made Weaver a star? Without “Gunsmoke,” there would’ve been no “Duel” and no “McCloud” series, at least with Dennis Weaver.
Del Carnes, Arvada
TO THE POINT
It seems some conservative Republicans oppose gay marriage in order to maintain the sanctity of illicit encounters in public bathrooms and brothels. They “doth protest too much, methinks.”
James DeGregori, Denver
Now that Lisa Nowak has pleaded insanity, the National Enquirer will fittingly run the headline, “NASA Hires Insane AstroNUTS.”
James Zyles, Henderson
Alberto Gonzalez resigned? Hallelujah and good riddance. Mission accomplished!
Myrna Dodgion, Denver
Joe Nacchio gets to spend his time awaiting his fate in the comfort of his home. My oh my, what money can buy!
Arleen Lawrence, Denver
It has been reported that one out of four American adults did not read a book in the past year. It is also reported that President Bush’s approval rating is hovering around the 25 percent mark. Coincidence? I think not.
Glenn Hendricks, Silverthorne
Your editorial encouraging people to attend the state fair failed to mention the biggest problem for most families: the fair is held after school starts. If the fair was held earlier in the summer before most kids were back in school, a lot more families would attend.
Dennis Bronstein, Denver
It looks like we will be long gone from Iraq and global sea level will have risen at least 20 feet before the Broncos have a decent pass rush. At least their pants are pretty.
Greg Iwan, Littleton
Rove legacy? George Bush is responsible for the worst security breach in American history. And Karl Rove is his “brain”?
Sandra Winter, Denver
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