Posted on 09/15/2011 9:55:39 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Heather Burcham died in 2007 when she was 31. Cervical cancer killed her. She was misdiagnosed at age 26, and by the time she knew she had cancer, it was too late for effective treatment.
But she changed lives by living hers so passionately.
She was deeply religious, quick-witted, loving, with a quirky sense of humor; and she was determined to save other young women. Her passion for a cause made her a "Person of the Week" on ABC's "World News" program in 2007. Heather likely would have been shouting from the rooftops in frustration, listening to the current political debate about the HPV vaccine.
For her, the HPV vaccine was about saving lives, not politics, not campaign donations. She probably would have been heartbroken to hear Texas Gov. Rick Perry backtrack from his commitment to have girls vaccinated against cervical cancer.
Perry made her the poster child for his HPV executive decision, and spoke eloquently at her funeral. What a difference four years later as he debates the topic with other Republican candidates.
Her words to ABC News in 2007 still resonate, in light of the current debate in which this one face of the disease has been lost amid the political rhetoric.
"I don't want to have died in vain," she said. "I don't want my life to have no purpose whatsoever, and if I can help spread the word about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine, then I haven't lived in vain."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
I am sorry, but anyone would half a brain would be or SHOULD be skeptical of such a wild claim. You dont need to be an MD to know retardation doesnt just ‘happen’ in teenagers, let alone from a vaccine. anti-vaccine claims have been debunked.
For her to repeat it publically shows either a disregard for truth (in her desperation to attack Perry) or a severe gullibility on this. Not being expert is all the more reason to not speak out without first getting facts in line. She should never have repeated it publically without getting more facts. Either way, it smacks of non-POTUS-ready behavior.
“She has been a powerful voice for us a considerable amount of time”
I agree, so its a travesty when she harms her credibility like this. Completely unnecessary too; just stick with the parental rights concern. This is the kind of stuff that makes MSNBC go wild with glee and call all Republicans ignoramuses.
... Three deaths were related to the vaccine. One physician's assistant reported that a female patient "died of a blood clot three hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine." Two other reports, on girls 12 and 19, reported deaths relating to heart problems and/or blood clotting.
As of May 11, 2007, the 1,637 adverse vaccination reactions reported to the FDA via the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) included 371 serious reactions. Of the 42 women who received the vaccine while pregnant, 18 experienced side effects ranging from spontaneous abortion to fetal abnormities.
Side effects published by Merck & Co. warn the public about potential pain, fever, nausea, dizziness and itching after receiving the vaccine. Indeed, 77% of the adverse reactions reported are typical side effects to vaccinations. But other more serious side effects reported include paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures.
“Rick Huckaperry, compassionate republican.”
Now I know I’ve been transported to the twightlight zone. I’m LOL at you satire.
Right you are.
Well I must be the exception to that theory because I don't support a Palin run for POTUS.
You consistently exhibit a level of class that your (non) candidate has never and could never exhibit herself.
I respond in kind. Funny you didn't quote the sentence I replied to which implied that I thought all women were sluts. However, I won't paint with a wide brush because I'm an individual responsibility kind of guy. I'll just hold you responsible for the dissembling left wing type of bs. Fair enough?
Thanks for your example of how to win supporters and influence people. By the way, did you learn at the feet of Paul supporters, because you are almost THAT classy.
Not a Paulite either. Did you learn at the feet of Alinsky? Half the story all the time?
I don’t have a candidate, non or otherwise. Your candidate backed Al Gore, which is really creepy.
Al Gore wasn’t Algore at the time.Rick Perry wasn’t the same either. I dare say that you aren’t the same person today that you were 30 years ago either.
I can honestly say I have never voted for or supported a democrat. Al Gore has always been Al Gore, a creep.
If you bother to understand the issue at all, it's about parental rights over executive mandate by Govenor Perry.....
..his attempts to override many parent's wishes or wills.
Your avoidance of the question was well done and artistic.
So what are the Perry haters going to say now?
I *WANT* to like Perry, but I can’t vote for a man I wouldn’t *TRUST* around my *DAUGHTER*!
Yeah, being concerned about cancer makes Perry a pedophile.
Buy a clue.
The exact language form the executive order:
Parents’ Rights. The Department of State Health Services will, in order to protect the right of parents to be the final authority on their children’s health care, modify the current process in order to allow parents to submit a request for a conscientious objection affidavit form via the Internet while maintaining privacy safeguards under current law.
..rather than an 'opt-out' for conscientious parents who felt their rights were being assaulted!
There's power in the way ideas are presented.....!
None of our other required vaccines are done that way, why is this one required to be different?
How would an opt-in work? How is it different than no requirement at all, just as it is today or before?
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