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5e r i4 i i mn r ski iwf1niti mariner se or atlantis se 67 person- 21 jef s 4 hp pump s air injector ncejrmermal cover 8blf8pls ozoiormreg 2c gfclqshhm149 vreg- 29 stand 295titubalbrc x a t igoloufxhdice greenbeigecgf igreen- grey miiil1iffiw ipijavpixlfqft betz a rryfor a great used car yaccifiirgirms bydawnuersch staff writer health officials are giving the thumbsup to a provincial plan to offer free flu vaccines to all citizens the 38miliion program announced two weeks ago by health minister elizabeth witmer is the first in ndrtharnerica and is intended to ease pressure on hospital emergency room personnel who typically see a high num- br of patients with flurelated compli cations each winter last winter was a very busy winter in the whole gta i dont know if it was all related to the flu but there seemed to be a higrf correlation were happy about the announcement said dr jim macleari president of markham stouffville hospital adding the provin cial plan will complement an aggressive flu prevention strategy being launched n by the hospital this fall maclean stressed the elderly arid children are most at risk complica tions due to the flu such as pneumonia although the illness is known to knock thousands of people of all ages on their backs each winter the flu formally known as influen za 4- is a serious upper respiratory infection usually characterized by an abrupt onset i of fever and cough often accompanied by fatiguemuscle weak- ness and a hoarse voice saidfaron ikolbe manager of infectious diseases with york region health services people often mistake gastrointestinal illnesses for the flu he said irij ah average year v one in six cahaciiaris7 or five million people are affected by v flu with up jo 75000 hospitalizeyhalfofthoseelderly kolbe said the illness can be life- threatening if left untreated in people at high risk includirig those 65and older and those with chronic medical condi- tions such as diabetes or cancer but until now the flu vaccine was only available free of charge to seniors those with chronic health conditions and healthcare providers anyone else had to pay about 15 t the ontario health insurance plan will cover the cost for everyone the new plan may signify an evolu tion in thinking about who is eligible for a flu shot witmer cited astudy in the new england journal of medicine that found healthy adults who received the flu vaccinereported 25 per cent fewer upper respiratory illnesses and 43 per cent fewer sick days off from work already promotion of the vaccine has helped reduce the number of deaths due to flu complications in york region although the region had more flu outbreaks during- the winter of 1999- 2000 than 19981999 kolbe sard there was far less hospitalization required and there were fewer deaths due to compli cations york region health services launched amandatoryflushot policy last year for those who go in to long- term care is expected to soon- expand the program to include emergency medical service personnel a mother remembers on may 20 my son christopher pagani joined four buddies and set outfor a weekend of fun ata friends cottage on lake scugog early the next morning i was awakened by a knock on the door at my home in stouffville it was a police officer i was told there had been a canoe accident and that chris was missing a while later i was told christopher was presumed drowned while the shock and sorrow was overwhelming didnt have to go through it alone friends family neighbors and yes strangers rallied to my side the outpouring of support sympathy kindnesswas needed and appreciated for always chris friends and their parents and mywork clients the principle and staff of stpuffville district secondary school were especially supportive tribune reporter joarirarisberry in particular treated nie with compassion sensitivity and absolute respect c v the support shown helped meendure the following days in particular my dear friend diana mario and my sisterremained by my sidevl will be forever grateful waiting for a child to come homeis a trying experience waiting for a dead child to come home cahtbe described finally aweekafterchris slipped away into the waters he was found the divers recovered his body the wait was over the little flicker ofhbpethathewas somehow alive was gone ihad to start funeral plans my full of beans full of funfull of life son was gone in his short 17 years chris befriended many more than 400 indudingstudents and teachers attended his funeral people came because they cared chris was popular in life and he was x popular in death i t with the kindwords from family friend regan maude coupledwith spiritual guidance from united church minister rev lillian perigoejand springvale baptist xchurch youth minister rev briansimcoe- we together said goodbye as soon as the school chums learned tiiat chris had died- theycameto my side the teens were hurting but they werestrong and they were very very kind as well with direction- from judy scala the teenagers set up a trusffund im so touched by this n recently a charity golf tournament at stouffvilles bushwood golf course was held in memory of chris organized by diana mario and pro golfer ted maude the tournament was a success i appreciate everyones contribution special mentiongoes out to gray power insurance todds pools and chapel ridge funeral home soon stouffvilles teens will build a mural in memory of chris at memorial park its an appropriate gesture since chris loved skateboarding id like to thank whitchurchstouftville council for giving the mural the go ahead chris loved his skateboard his snowboard his fishing rod and he cherished his friendslchris had a kick in his walk arid glint in his eye and a belief that life was for livingtchris loved and was loved chris was chris kwillmiss hirii for always il i- from the bottom of my heart thank youho everyone janet pagani t-