Letters to the Editor - 1-25-24

Reelect Jahana Hayes: The Right Choice

The State of Florida now has accepted one million signatures from voters to put a woman’s right to choose on the 2024 ballot. Republicans have fought against abortion rights all over the country and Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, has proposed to his Republican legislature, a six week abortion law. Most women do not know they are pregnant at six weeks.

Our Congresswoman, Jahana Hayes, is a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus and she is compassionate about helping women who must face these important health issues. She has been pushing this Republican Congress, to force a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act,which would put into law reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy for all seeking abortion care. Her Republican opponent in the 2024 election, would not vote to make women’s right to choose a national law.

It is so important to re-elect Jahana Hayes this November 2024, so she can make women’s health issues a national law and that would protect all women in the USA.

Lizbeth Piel

Sharon

FCH is neglecting the primary mission

The paper presented an impressive celebration of the 20 years’ work by the Foundation for Community Health, initially funded by the assets from the proceeds of the conversion of Sharon Hospital, carefully cataloged as well as the subject of the Editor’s opinion.

Plainly, Ms. Heaton and her board, currently chaired by Tom Quinn, have been hard at work allocating funds to groups in need in a broader area, beyond its prescribed region (bylaws, Article 1 Section C). They have carefully stewarded the assets by substantially growing them in the past 20 years.

In all of what was shared, it is abundantly clear to me, that today the Foundation for Community Health, does not view supporting access to complete Maternal health care nor the maintenance of the services at the Sharon Hospital as a part of their purpose, despite what the by-laws state (Article 1, Section 1.3A iii) http://www.fchealth.org/who-we-are/financials-policies/

The residents of the Sharon Hospital area, mentioned the bylaws, want the care, state of Connecticut has shown a way, the Office of Health Strategy wrote an impressive decision, the Attorney General agrees, but not this Foundation.

For all their monetary gains in the past 20 years the Foundation is neglecting the primary mission: To maintain and improve the physical and mental Health of all of the residents of the area historically served by Sharon Hospital Inc.

Sharon Hospital united with the Foundation could beacon of caring innovation.

The Foundation could be supporting the maintenance of the maternity and pediatric services at the Sharon Hospital.

This Foundation could create a concierge medical practice beside a family practice which would include birthing at the Sharon Hospital supporting all range of citizens.

This foundation could work with a Medical School to create a rural residency program in family practice, as it once did with nursing students and should do again.

This Foundation could create a dining hall at the Sharon Hospital that could help feed the hungry and guide nutritional programs at the local school and medical facilities.

This Foundation could support the hiring of a chaplain at the Sharon Hospital.

This Foundation could have saved the lab at Sharon Hospital.

In response to the failures of the Foundation, we are forming Friends of Sharon Hospital. Our primary goal is to maintain complete maternal services at the Sharon Hospital, as they have been available for over 110 years.

Do you have a brighter vision for the public health of our community than the current Foundation for Community Health, I know I do. It is my hope you will join our growing assembly by contacting FriendsofSHospital@gmail.com.

Our inaugural activity will be exhibits held in the lobby of the maternity entrance to the hospital. Each exhibit will showcase a town in the Sharon Hospital catchment area and the current birthing services available. The exhibits will be open to the public at times to be determined by Ms. McCulloch, President of the Sharon Hospital.

We welcome your engagement.

Deborah Moore

Sharon