Citizens don’t need to wait for an election to make their voices heard.
In an age of voter apathy, it is often forgotten that the ‘average’ person has the power to impact policy, should they choose to exercise it.
If enough people stand up and show their support for a cause, eventually those in power will have to take notice of it.
That is currently being demonstrated in Athabasca by the petition to have a dialysis machine installed at the Athabasca Healthcare Centre.
Started by local resident Dia Hurren, who has seen the need for such a machine first-hand, the petition is available at a number of locations around town and is quickly gathering signatures and support.
Hurren makes a well reasoned case for the need for such a machine in Athabasca, and more credence is lent by the story of Dustin Belair, a local man who was forced to make an unwanted move to Edmonton to receive his treatment.
This is a case where a service that a number of Athabasca residents need is simply not available to them in their chosen place of residence. As a result, their lives (and often those of their loved ones) are continually interrupted by the need for trips to the city for treatment. As in Belair’s case, some of them have needed to relocate, though their hearts remain in Athabasca.
If something can be done to rectify this situation, it should be. And local residents deserve credit for shining light on the problem.
