October 3, 2024
A special need
Western North Carolina is near and dear to my heart. I spent 4 years in North Carolina during medical school wandering the area, finding renewal in the beauty and culture. Asheville was my first choice for residency until the Universe sent me west to Seattle instead. I carry it in my heart still.
The people of Appalachia are resilient and resourceful, but they can use our help. Here are some options.
You can stop reading here.
Or read on as I rant for a minute. As the election approaches, I want to use my newsletter for education about the choices we face. Please unsubscribe if you are offended or aren’t interested.
I truly believe the future deserves more than what we have given it. Climate Change should be a top priority. Hurricane Helene is a stark visualization of the danger of ignoring facts.
The remnants of Hurricane Helene dumped unimaginable amounts of water into the mountains which funneled downhill causing devastation. Climate change is real and we ignore it at our peril. Denial brings more devastation and danger, hurting the most vulnerable.
The truth is many more deaths will occur from this flood, the downstream effects are just starting. People unable to access clean water or their vital medications, accidents from cleaning up, heart attacks and stress related illnesses, and possibly insect borne infections like Lyme, Encephalitis, etc. A new analysis in Nature documents the effects from multiple cyclones/hurricanes, adding urgency to this message.
Climate change is also a reason there are so many displaced people that become asylum seekers. We must have compassion for them.
Educate yourself about Project 2025 and its wish to, not just ignore the effects already happening, but adding fuel by taking protections in place away. Scary, in deed.
Also a reminder to check your voter registration status and remember to vote. Remind your friends and family too.
And finally, my caveat is that this is my experience and my opinions, which are subject to change as more information is available. Thanks for reading.
Share this post if you know of others who may be interested. All links are listed at the bottom of this post. The New York Times articles have links that are gift links, allowing you to read the article for free.
https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/2024/09/29/north-carolina-buncome-flood-victims-how-to-help-donate/75441389007/
https://wapo.st/3XPv1cU
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07945-5
https://fidlnfree.com/rwb.html
https://www.vote.org