As an elected councillor I believe one of my major roles is to advocate for our community.
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Sometimes you can advocate behind the scenes to achieve progress but at other times you have to yell and scream and beat a drum... I think it’s time to bring out the drums!
Mark Sheridan spoke passionately at Wednesday’s monthly council meeting about the issues surrounding renal patients in our region.
It was sad to hear of personal accounts of struggle and adversity and I believe we must fight hard for the people who are affected by illness and require dialysis.
The strain that is put on patients, carers and families who have to consistently travel to Canberra is immense.
The community of Young is always willing to give time, expertise and funds to help members of our community in need.
Under the auspices of Young’s Chamber of Commerce, a sub-committee of passionate and driven locals rallied the community and organised a number of events which raised $200,000 to construct a self-managed renal unit in Young.
A few years before, the same group of passionate and driven locals (under the auspices of the Young Hospital Auxiliary) rallied the same community and raised $400,000 to construct the Oncology Unit in Young.
The hard work of locals enabled Young to build a self-managed renal unit which allows people to self-administer dialysis.
After a medical needs analysis was conducted by Murrumbidgee Health it was clear that there was great need for a satellite renal unit staffed by trained nurses with visiting renal specialists.
The satellite renal unit and the self-managed renal units were to co-exist.
Murrumbidgee Health made the establishment of a satellite renal unit in Young a high priority.
So the community of Young has shown its commitment to helping our own, we have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide better life opportunities and services for locals in need.
The health organisations have clearly established the need for a staffed satellite renal unit in town and have recommended it as a high priority.
It is clear that Young had every right to feel assured that a satellite renal unit would be established in town.
Those advocating for this to occur felt confident that the community support was clear, the need for the service was evident and that health organisations had made a satellite renal unit in Young a high priority.
To say that we as a community are disappointed with missing out on this essential service is an understatement.
When local member Katrina Hodgkinson and Health Minister Jillian Skinner announced that the unit would be developed in Cowra there was great sadness for those needing renal services in Young and absolute outrage from those who had advocated for a satellite renal unit to be established in Young.
All councillors of Young Shire stand united on this issue. We all feel strongly that Young has once again been overlooked for essential infrastructure and we will all be advocating for Young to receive a satellite renal unit.
Stuart Freudenstein moved a motion that Young create a petition to be sent to the local member outlining our frustration, disappointment and anger that Young was overlooked for this service to be established.
I will be walking up and down the street and attending community events with my clipboard in hand.
We are asking for community support on this issue.
The more signatures we get on the petition, the louder our voice will be in state parliament.
I have no doubt that the politicians will write letters to the paper justifying their decision.
We need to make it clear that we are disappointed in the decision and that we are a supportive, cohesive and caring community who will do whatever it takes to look after those in our community who most need help.
