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6- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 14, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: The Oakville Beaver is a division of IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. NEIL OLIVER Publisher DAVID HARVEY General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA ANCHOR Circ. Manager The long road back Our newspaper often features local residents who are ailing because of some debilitating or terminal disease. Through these deeply personal stories, we hope to raise levels of awareness in the community about the illness that has affected the individual as well as the toll it takes on the patient's family. The newspaper also promotes fundraisers with the hope that one day there will be enough dollars for research to find cures for such devastating conditions as cancer, heart and stroke, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson's, ALS, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. The list is endless. It is difficult for the writers of such stories not to be touched in some way by the courageous individuals, who are at the heart of their articles, as well as the families that struggle to come to grips with the effects of a catastrophic illness. Our newspaper -- as a family ­ has learned firsthand what happens when one of its own is handed a grim diagnosis. Barrie Erskine, a talented, multiaward winning photographer, became ill last summer. His various symptoms included confusion, muscle weakness, fatigue and blackouts. He was tested for a litany of ailments including West Nile virus and Lyme disease. Nothing was definitive; except for a lesion on his brain. His frantic wife, Melissa, became his staunchest advocate demanding that her husband not be sent home from hospital until the couple had answers -- something tangible that they could understand. He was eventually diagnosed with Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) -- a definitive MS diagnosis won't be made until more time has passed and there is evidence of further brain lesions. Erskine was in hospital for several months, feeling safe knowing that medical help was literally at his fingertips. Going home was difficult. Gradually, his strength began to return and he managed to participate in the recent MS fundraising walk (starting on foot, riding a scooter, then finishing on foot, which he said was psychologically very important). However, last Friday, Erskine had trouble walking. He is at home now, receiving medical treatment. The Erskines, while coping with what appears to be another attack, are wondering if this incident will lead to a definitive MS diagnosis. Knowing that May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, Erskine wanted to raise community awareness about this cloak-and-dagger disease. His remarkable journey is in today's Beaver. Erskine also wants residents to participate in the fourth annual MS Golf for a Cure to be held at Burlington's Crosswinds Golf and Country Club on Wednesday, June 18. Sponsors and golfers are needed and proceeds benefit the Halton MS Chapter. For information, contact Robin Halliwell at the MS SocietyHalton at 905-681-1166 or robin.halliwell@mssociety.ca Editor's note to Barrie Erskine: Remember, your media family is behind you -- encouraging you every painful step of the way. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via email to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Clearview community deserves school The question of whether or not to construct a public elementary school in Clearview is beyond simple economics. Rather, it is a matter of principle. That the Clearview community has been passed over by the public school board lo these many years, forcing children from the area onto buses, raises a fundamental question of equity. As ratepayers, Clearview residents are no less entitled to local services than other neighbourhoods throughout the region. The recent recommendation by senior BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com Board staff, denying Clearview a school of its own, is unconscionable, particularly since it hangs, in part, on Clearview's status as an `old' community. The time has come for the Halton District School Board (HDSB) to right a longstanding wrong, and, in the interest of fair play, construct an elementary school in Clearview. For the record, I live south of Cornwall, and no longer have any children in the public school system. PETER PELLIER For the sake of others, leash your dog I cannot count the times I have gone for a relaxing walk in one of our beautiful parks in Oakville only to be accosted by a large dog on the loose. The pet owner is usually close by encouraging me to pet the "harmless" charging dog saying, "Oh, he won't hurt you." People, wake up and realize that the entire population does not wish to interact with your big scary dog. I am a lifelong dog owner and all around pet lover, but I have also been bitten by dogs whose owners would have sworn their precious Rover was harmless before their first spell of bad behaviour. It is an animal, you cannot be sure what it will do. To those who swear their dog is harmless I ask, would you feel comfortable with a loose dog charging at your three year old? Think about it -- and while you are pondering, remember that no matter how much we love our pets -- people come first. BETH MACDONALD The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council.The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206,Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981.Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Pud