Specialized care needed for heart defects
You probably have heard that February is Heart Month – but did you know that Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week is Feb. 7-14? One in 100 people are born with a heart defect and need ongoing specialized care. And I am one of these nearly 2 million adults.
More children born with heart defects — the No. 1 birth defect in the United States — are living to adulthood than ever before due to medical advances. While this is positive news, just a small number of CHD patients (less than 10%) are seen in specialized centers and are getting appropriate and specialized cardiac care.
The Adult Congenital Heart Association is the only national patient advocacy organization dedicated solely to serving these adults living with CHD and the healthcare community that cares for them. Their mission is to empower our CHD community by advancing access to resources and specialized care that improve patient-centered outcomes.
This month, join me and ACHA in spreading awareness about adults living with CHD and the specialized treatment we need to live a full life. If you or someone you know was born with a heart defect and needs medical care, education or just someone to talk to, please visit www.achaheart.org to connect and receive the support you need and deserve. Happy Heart Month!
Ashlyn Arthur
Patient and Family Advisory Board Member
Adult Congenital Heart Association
Outside-the-box thinking
I have read with much interest President Trump’s plans to create an External Revenue Service instead of more income taxes. Leasing Greenland’s vast fuels and minerals is thinking outside the box.
I would hope cities and states would warm up to this kind of thinking instead of milking the tax cow (us) dry.
I’m weary of the massive property tax increases in Philly that are sure to rise as assessed values rise. We all know our inflated water bills are really just a tax burden by another name.
We have the USA semiquincentennial (a mouthful) coming up: 1776-2026. Can the city plan for ways to make real money off of our nation’s 250th birthday? Even better, turn it into a long-term revenue producer through creative redevelopment and tourism?
How about City Council thinking outside the box (or just thinking) instead of taxing and driving out the middle class?
How about diverting some of the 2026 celebration revenue to redevelop neglected NE Philly, desperate for things like senior housing and arts and culture, far from the caviar and condos of Center City? After all, we are a third of the whole city.
How about a real plan to restore Market Street East?
How about a 10-year tax freeze for all homeowners?
Mayor Parker, it’s time to read The Art of the Deal.
Richard Iaconelli
Rhawnhurst
Fix the parking kiosk
SEPTA has been bragging about its new (read: more expensive) parking system. Over the last three months, I tried using the new parking kiosk at SEPTA’s Philmont Station eight times. I followed all the instructions, but when I got to the last step to put my quarters in, it would not take them seven out of the eight times. Furthermore, had to cancel the transaction and restart all over again in order to use a credit card. All this while other people are waiting to use the kiosk.
Calling SEPTA simply results in the same old reply: We’ll look into it. Not only is SEPTA’s new parking system (with fees twice as high as before) not working already, but nobody cares about fixing it.
Leo Iwaskiw
Somerton
Speed cameras all about money
Philadelphia’s speed cameras have nothing to do with safety and are an unfair tax on motorists. If the goal is to slow traffic, the road can be re-designed to do that, for instance, by synchronizing traffic lights to a certain speed. Predatory camera enforcement is not for safety. Camera enforcement exists for the tens of millions of dollars generated for government and camera makers by “GOTCHA” technology.
The vast majority of motorists do not “speed.” They travel at a speed that is safe because they don’t want to have a crash. The very small number of truly dangerous drivers can easily be dealt with by law enforcement without needlessly punishing safe drivers. Taking dangerous drivers’ pictures does not get them off the road. Cameras cannot prevent accidents, cameras can only take pictures.
How do I know that the cameras are only for the money? There are no points against your license for the violation. Speed cameras don’t make the roads safer, they only raise revenue.
Tom McCarey
Berwyn
