Letters: Inaugural Blood Clot Awareness Month celebrates advances in prevention, detection

Throughout October, we are observing the first annual Emily Adkins Blood Clot Awareness Month in honor of our daughter Emily, who died Oct. 21, 2022, from an undiagnosed blood clot. Even as it marks a sad occasion, the observance serves as a time to celebrate recent advancements toward preventing and detecting blood clots.

It’s also an opportunity to create awareness about the potential fatality of blood clots and ways to prevent them, such as the Caprini Risk Score.

Since Emily’s passing, my wife Janet, my son Douglas and I have been gratified to see significant changes resulting from our advocacy efforts. In June, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Emily Adkins Prevention Act requiring the establishment of a policy workgroup to understand the impact of blood clots and enhance their detection.

Although four months later we are still waiting for the state surgeon general to appoint a chair for the policy workgroup, this legislation is a necessary step forward for effective blood clot prevention efforts.

In addition to the legislation, we have seen great advancements in mechanical thrombectomy ― a blood clot removal procedure using less invasive endovascular devices — and breakthroughs from Rapid AI that uses artificial intelligence to detect and treat blood clots.

With about 3 in 4 Florida residents having at least one medical experience that puts them at greater risk of a blood clot or pulmonary embolism, this work couldn’t be more important.

Emily Adkins Blood Clot Awareness Month is an important part of educating Americans on the prevalence of blood clots. Everyone should work with their medical providers to establish a blood clot prevention plan and calculate their Caprini Risk Score.

Our goal is to honor the lives of those lost to blood clots and continue advocating for treatments and advancements that will prevent families from suffering this preventable pain and heartache.

Doug Adkins, CEO, Emily’s Promise, Jacksonville

You may not believe, but you can still love

Herb Gartner’s Oct. 8 letter made a logical argument for why he personally does not believe in God.

It has been said that the only true religion is the one set out in the Book of Leviticus, with all others being manmade. Christianity has morphed into a religion, but started out as a faith, meaning a personal belief — not an organized institution.

In response to an earlier column from a rabbi on the Jewish High Holidays, Mr. Gartner asked how does one rationally and logically square the horrible death of 6 million Jews in Nazi Germany with a benevolent God who hears prayers?

The crown of creation, mankind being made higher than all other living creatures, has the unique characteristic of demonstrating free will, and that includes accepting its consequences. In Jewish history there were the patriarchs, judges, kings and prophets that lead to the concept of a redeemer and savior ― a messiah.

In a broken world, bad things happen to good people and evil temporarily triumphs from time to time. Through it all we are called to do justice, show mercy and care for the widow, orphan or stranger in our midst.

Some events and relationships will smother one’s hope and resiliency. Others, in spite of such adversity, will rise above. Tomorrow the sun will rise at its appointed time; one person dies, another is born.

The complexity of all that is life, within our bodies and in the universe, bears witness to what modern science is only beginning to reveal to our understanding. I cannot see gravity, but I believe in it because I experience it (knowingly and unknowingly) all the time.

To borrow from Christian scripture, “So now faith, hope and love abide; these three, but the greatest is love.”

Rob Richardson, Jacksonville Beach

Kudos to Furyk & Friends, Timuquana club

In the three years of the PGA Champions Constellation Furyk & Friends at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, I can say with confidence that I have the best time watching golf in person. There is no other golf venue where you can watch action on seven different holes from one place, the 58 Club. This event has put Jacksonville on the map as a golf destination in October.

This year’s event was threatened when four greens, a part of the practice facility and several TVs were damaged by vandalism early on Thursday, Oct. 5. Within 16 hours, the team at Timuquana, in collaboration with TPC Sawgrass, MacCurrach Golf Construction Inc., the PGA and others had the course repaired and ready for competition on Friday morning.

Arriving on Friday morning to our viewing stand you could see the outstanding repair work done on the greens, especially the 17th, which was right in front of us. The repairs were done with meticulous precision, keeping the repairs level and the grain of the repaired pieces matching the existing grain of the green.

The ultimate acknowledgment of the hard work to repair the greens came with the first group to play the 17th on Friday. Scott Parel, the second player to shoot, knocked down a hole in one to the extreme delight of the crowd.

People from New Jersey, Mississippi, Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania and other states complimented the achievement of maintaining the integrity of a great golfing event. Everyone looks forward to coming back next year.

The city of Jacksonville should present formal recognition to all those who worked hard to preserve the integrity of this golf event — and maintain Jacksonville as the home of a premier golf destination.

Charles Jaskiewicz, Ormond Beach

Two-state solution only way to peace

The incredible violence occurring in Israel and Gaza is abhorrent and tragic — but it was decidedly predictable. While Israel certainly has a right to exist and defend itself, it does not have the right to oppress and dehumanize an entire population for decades.

Israel is undeniably a strategic ally in the Middle East and at present, at least a nominal democracy. But its far-right Likud party, which dominates the Knesset, has moved increasingly away from truly democratic principles and tenets, existentially threatening the moral high ground on which it supposedly stands.

It has also insisted on furthering antagonistic — and illegal — settlement expansions into highly disputed areas of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Golan Heights.

Without a cessation of these expansions and the development of a viable two-state solution, there will never be peace in the lands of Israel. By continuing to deny Palestinians the basic necessities of humanity, as well as a right to their own governance and sovereign soil, then misery, desperation and copious bloodshed will be the only possible future.

If there is ever to be any hope of a sustainable peace, the United States must take a more balanced approach to its unilateral support for Israel and prioritize the implementation of a workable two-state solution.

Philip May, Jacksonville

The world needs faith

An Oct. 8 letter to the editor expressed nonbelief in God and pointed out that the Holocaust is one reason for his views.

This makes me think of Corrie ten Boom, the Dutch watchmaker. She would have lots of reasons to be angry with God or believe he didn’t exist. Her entire family was arrested and sent to a Nazi concentration camp for hiding Jews during World War II.

As Christians, they felt this was what Jesus would want them to do, even though it meant breaking the law put in place by the Nazi government occupying the Netherlands. After surviving the camps, ten Boom later wrote “The Hiding Place” in the 1970s. This book tells how she lived a deeper life with God, exchanging love and forgiveness for hatred and cruelty.

America needs this faith, love and forgiveness today. If we all had this love of God, love of our neighbor and forgiveness, America would not have to worry so much about our children being killed, the breakup of the family or suicide rates going up.

This book is even more relevant to the present day than at the time of its writing as we see renewed global anti-Semitism.

Sonja Harpe, Jacksonville

Support amidst turmoil in Israel

The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services extends its unwavering support of Israel. As we witness the conflict between Israel and Hamas, our hearts ache for all those affected which includes many children, women and elderly. Our foremost wish is for a swift end to the violence.

To our local community here in Jacksonville, we recognize the anxiety and concern that this situation may cause. Many of the people we serve have friends, family and loved ones directly impacted by the conflict in Israel. JFCS counselors are trained to deal with trauma, and we are here to provide support to community members that are in distress.

Amidst the turmoil, we remain committed to fostering compassion, unity and understanding. We advocate for peace and we will continue to work toward a brighter future where everyone can thrive in a world free from conflict and fear.

Colleen L. Rodriguez, CEO, The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services, Jacksonville

Stop ‘electing idiots’ and extremists

What did Rep. Matt Gaetz’s political stunt to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy accomplish besides undermining our governing institutions, the economy and our nation’s standing as the leader of the free world? The vote shows the destructive power of a small group of Republican extremists who pay no political price for the harm they create.

According to Daniel Ziblatt, co-author of the book, “Tyranny of the Minority,” our democracy has been moved to this unstable place for many reasons: “Social media and cable news incentivized politicians to perform for the camera, not for their constituents. Dark money, aggressive gerrymandering and voter suppression created deeply partisan districts where representation is decided in primary contests, not general elections.”

The most successful movements in our democracy expanded freedom. For this to happen, according to former Rep. Liz Cheney, voters must support “serious people” for public office, reject extremes and stop “electing idiots.”

Karen Adler, Jacksonville

Stadium plan not in city’s best interest

Spending what is nearly our city’s entire annual budget to help a billionaire may not be in our best interest. Considering the fact that we’ll probably be called upon to spend that again in 30 to 35 years from now (or totally replace the stadium) makes it a dubious proposition.

If Jacksonville were to spend $1 billion on downtown canals, we would be seen throughout the world as very unique — much more so than what an NFL franchise delivers.

For context, I lettered in football in 1968, spent 10 years as a head coach and have a passion for the Jags. I have a bigger passion for Jacksonville ― and numbers.

Ed Robertson, Avondale

Charge non-Duval fans extra for Jags tix?

Although the rallying cry at Jaguars games has become “DUUUVAL,” they are clearly not exclusively a Duval County team. Fans attend the games and support the team from their homes in St. Johns, Clay and Nassau counties. While Duval is the largest population center, the surrounding counties also have large and growing populations.

Perhaps residents of these counties should share in the expenses of the “Stadium of the Future.” This might be accomplished by the application of an extra surcharge on tickets purchased by non-Duval residents. If they enjoy the benefit of the new stadium they should also share in the pain of its expense.

Peter A. Baci, Jacksonville Beach