Readers share thoughts on Mother’s Day, KCI, Medicare
Mother’s Day gift
This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the life-giving power of mothers and are reminded of the joyous event of giving birth — an event that also can give hope to many other people through the donation of umbilical-cord blood.
Thousands of patients battling blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases depend on the generosity of mothers who donate their babies’ cord blood.
But more donations are needed, especially from African-American and Asian communities, whose patients have the hardest time finding donor matches.
There is no cost to donate, and the procedure is safe for moms and babies. Cord blood is collected immediately after birth and does not change the labor or delivery.
If you’re expecting a baby, I hope you’ll visit bethematch.org/cord or contact the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank at 314-268-2787 or www.slcbb.org. You could bring new life into the world — twice in one day.
Kathy Mueckl
Nurse Coordinator
St. Louis
End tax cuts
The craziness in Topeka continues. Faced with ongoing deficits, Gov. Sam Brownback proposes more Band-Aid fixes.
Sell the tobacco-settlement rights for a one-time cash infusion. Delay payments to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Cut school funding an additional 5 percent.
But what about the obvious solution — eliminating the income-tax exemption for 330,000 limited-liability companies, of which 85 percent have no employees? Brownback’s budget director says the governor doesn’t believe now is the right time to have a discussion about raising taxes on small businesses.
Really? When would be the right time, governor? We can’t wait until Brownback’s term expires to restore fiscal sanity.
Kansas legislators need to stand up and do the right thing. Roll back the tax cuts over Brownback’s objections.
In this case, the simplest solution is the best.
Scott Roby
Lenexa
Medicare savings
I’ve always believed that purchasing prescription drugs through mail-order companies was less expensive than buying medications through retail pharmacies.
But my insurance agent ran a comparison that showed I could save $752 a year by buying 90-day supplies of my medicines from a local pharmacy.
I advise people signing up during Medicare’s open enrollment to ask their agents to run the cost comparisons.
They may be pleasantly surprised and help support the Kansas City area economy.
Ron Fugate
Overland Park
Woodlands racing
I see that a letter writer is pushing to reopen The Woodlands horse and dog racetrack (5-4, Letters). As usual, it is only about the almighty dollar — not the animals that are forced to run.
I wish the letter writer would concentrate on NASCAR, where all the racers choose to race. There’s a very big difference.
I’m sure Woodlands owner Phil Ruffin is a total prince, but please don’t involve defenseless animals.
It is inhumane.
Please do not reopen that eyesore and embarrassment.
Bob Magnus
Overland Park
Ode to Mother
Precious are so many things
Of all that I hold dear
Even those of childhood days
When Mother was still here.
Embroidered, cotton kitchen towels
Hand-stitched exquisitely
Still reveal her love for sewing
Still grace the room for all to see.
Uniquely fashioned doll clothes
Sewn with tender loving care
Made playing grown-up days such fun
For friends and I to share.
Her old potato-masher works
Today as good as new.
The recipes she loved the most
Are still my favorites, too.
There’s something most extraordinaire
And will be for all time
It’s these and more memories of
That extraordinary mother of mine!
Dee Ann Doxsee
Kansas City
KCI vote delayed
They fixed the water fountain that was not working.
Now Kansas City International Airport is in perfect condition (5-4, A1, “Mayor defers public vote on KCI”).
Corky Lewis
Lee’s Summit
This story was originally published May 7, 2016 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on Mother’s Day, KCI, Medicare."