Dr ALISON BLEANEY
To add to the story from Ella…. A patient of mine came this morning and told me about the awful night she had on Sunday- could hardly breath and her asthma has been really bad ever since. Not only did the foul smelling pesticide spray (delivered by a boomspray tractor getting rid of weeds across the road from her house) flood her house, but now the acrid smoke from forestry burns east of here (seemingly not fuel load burns, but after clearfelling) is invading St Helens with westerly winds and temperature inversions. She has gone home feeling ill, despondent and apprehensive. I am appalled at the lack of support that ordinary folk actually receive to prevent unwilling and unwitting exposure to known toxins; our preventative health strategy must do better than this. Letters to the media, to Ministers, to anyone that cares are needed; we need to support those most vulnerable in our communities, especially those already sick!
