December 26, 2006

Dr. Phil Aaron

Aaron’s Medical Center

300 Bomar Heights

Columbia, KY 42728

Dear Dr. Aaron:

Growing up in Adair County, I had heard of women needing surgery because of a bad Pap smear. I have known several women who have had hysterectomies, so I was surprised when I learned that young women could receive a vaccine that will protect them from cervical cancer. This hits home because my own daughter, Katie, is fifteen years old. She will have to decide soon if she wants the immunization to prevent cervical cancer. As a parent I will strongly recommend that she has the immunization; a parent will do anything to keep their child from having cancer.

In Australia, the government is paying for Cervical Cancer immunizations of young girls, which is a very expensive project, but well worth the expense only if one life is saved. It appears that our countries’ expenditures with the war in Iraq, sending Astronauts to repair the Space Shuttle, building the Immigration Wall around the Southern United States, and other projects there will not be enough money to vaccinate all Adair County girls who want the Cervical Cancer Vaccination.

As an elected Public Official I then face this dilemma: who gets the vaccine? Certainly families with insurance, families who qualify for Medicaid or Public Health Programs should consider the vaccination. But what about those who do not qualify for assistance or have no insurance? As your County Judge Executive, I promise to work with the Health Officials to attempt to bring this important vaccine to every young girl in Adair County who wants the Cervical Cancer Immunization.

Cervical Cancer is an Equal Opportunity Disease and it should not be reserved for our poor or uninsured.

Yours truly,

 Judge Executive

Adair County

AM/II