Support the relay
With the Relay for Life coming up this weekend I wanted to get my story to others and spread the word to support the relay and for women and men to check their breasts.
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In November last year I was found to have breast cancer on a routine ultrasound then mammogram. I then went on to have a partial mastectomy.
I felt no lump.
In December I had a Portacath inserted for long-term chemo and in January I began chemotherapy which will be for 10 months.
I am positive I will beat this disease and even though doctors cannot give me a prognosis if I can stop one person from having to go through what I am it will be worth it.
I am not the only one going through this and wanted to be there to support others as well.
J. Adams, Worrigee
Look out for pedestrians
With school holidays starting at the end of next week and the Easter Long weekend not far behind, there will be more cars on the road and more people on the streets.
While road safety is crucial every day of the year, it is important to exercise extra caution during these busy periods.
Many drivers know their local roads like the back of their hand, but when they are driving the same route each day it is very easy to become complacent and forget their vehicle is extremely powerful.
I repeatedly see how vulnerable pedestrians are, even when it comes to relatively minor accidents.
We can reverse this worrying trend if every road user takes a moment to survey their surroundings and remain vigilant behind the wheel.
Dan Sutherland, Slater and Gordon
The heat is on
A study by the University of Melbourne found the average wholesale electricity price soared to $134 a megawatt hour this summer, compared with $65-$67 in the two summers the carbon price was in place.
Curiosity go the better of me. I decided to fish out my electricity bill for the quarter ending February 2014 and make a comparison (same energy provider) with my bill for the quarter ending February 17.
Quarter ending February 2014: usage 92 days kWhs 1325. Discounts and Rebates $96.67. Amount due $333.16
Quarter ending February 2017: usage 98 days kWhs 1802. Discounts and Rebates $63.09. Amount due $427.83
Even taking into consideration the extra six days there has been a dramatic increase of electricity use in our household this summer – 477 kilowatt hours.
The reason for the increase no doubt climate change, the record breaking heat, and the need to keep cool.
J. Macleod, Berry
We have much in common
On Tuesday March 21 Australia celebrated Harmony Day, a day in which we celebrate the diversity and inclusive culture our country has sewn.
Australia is built on multiculturalism, different people of different walks of life coming together to make our country what it is today.
When I think of multiculturalism, I look to my kids. Some of them come from the most disadvantaged backgrounds imaginable, but despite their race, religion, beliefs and upbringing they manage to find common ground.
My kids treat each other with the utmost respect and are the shining example of discrimination having no place in Australia.
Sure, it is our differences that that helped shape this country, but I argue that it is our commonalities that hold us together, and it is these commonalities we should be celebrating.
We celebrate our differences and it is important to do so, but we shouldn’t let these differences define us.