Bile

Site cecum”

AirBC will be offering com-
passionate travel discounts to
Terrace residents who must
book tickets on short notice to
travel to a close relative’s
funeral.

Donna Hornsby, a sales
representative with AirBC in
Richmond explained that Air
Canada started this policy
February 1, 1988. As part of Air

.Canada’s B.C. commuter

system, AirBC also offers the
discount. The policy applies to
members of the immediate fami-
ly: parents, siblings, children,
grandparents and grand-
children, as well as in-laws and
adopted or step-relationships
within these categories. It is not

- available in the case of serious il-

Iness, nor is it retroactive to
before February 1.

- “The discount is the dif-
ference between the full fare
paid and the lowest excursion
fare offered had the passenger
been able to book in advance.
Restrictions are waived, such as

‘having to stay over a Saturday

night. The customer service
agents also try to get these
passengers to their destinations
as quickly as possible,” Horn-
sby said.

Proof will be required. A
passenger claiming the discount

_will have to produce either the

death certificate or a certified
photocopy of it. This can be

_ done at the time of ticket pur-

chase to get an immediate dis-
count, or within 60 days after
the date of bereavement to get a
partial refund. ‘‘Passengers can
give the document, along with
their customers’ copy of the us-
ed ticket to their travel agent
who will submit it on their

_ behalf, or they can mail it direct-

ly to Air Canada’s refund ser-
vice in Winnipeg,”’ she explain-
ed.

Hornsby said there had been
some pressure on Air Canada to
provide the discount because
some other airlines had it. The
policy applies to people living in

Canada and flying to- destina--
_ tions wherever Air Canada flies,

including the U.K., Bombay, the
Carribean, and other locations.

George Clark of Terrace
Travel said some international
airlines also provide such a dis-
count, but there have been some
problems. ‘‘British Airways

Police report.

A Terrace man was seriously
injured when he fell through the
front window of the Salvation
Army Thrift Shop April 3.

- Terrace RCMP report Steven

Brad Harrison was taken to
Mills Memorial Hospital, then

* later sent by air ambulance to

Vancouver. Harrison’s injuries

_ consisted of lacerations to both

arms.

travel breaks

gave travellers a discount, but
they didn't require proof such as
a death certificate. Because there
were sO many abuses, they
cancelled the policy.” He added
that airlines would like to assist
passengers travelling to see close
relatives who are seriously ill,
but that such a policy would
likely be abused.

Clark said his office has:
handled three or four such dis-
count requests, and gave a few
examples of the differences in
fares. A couple who travelled
from Prince George to Winnipeg
for a funeral paid the full fare of
$1670. With the compassionate
travel discount, they were
refunded $800. The full fare
from Terrace to Vancouver (via
Canadian Airlines) is currently
$404.40, including tax, while ex-
cursion fares range from $176 to
$226.

According to Canadian
Airline’s Terry Morris, his com-
pany, as of their latest policy
changes last November, does not
have any plans to offer a similar
discount.

This drainage ditch on Mills Ave. recently came to the attention of Terrace
city council! when a resident of the area complained that the steep slopes
constitute a hazard to children playing around It. The concern was referred
to council’s Public Works committee, and no decision on action has yet
been reached.

Anti-rejection drug policy
reversed, no-charge remains -
for transplant patients |

Health care consumers may
have been confused recently by
statements made by health
minister Peter Dueck regarding
the anti-rejection drug
Cyclosporine. He was reported
as saying that the drug, which

‘could cost users up to $20,000 a

year, was ‘‘no longer viewed as
experimental’’and therefore
should no longer be distributed
free to organ transplant pa-
tients, but should come under
Pharmacare. Under Phar-
macare, the patient pays the first
$300, and is reimbursed for 80
percent of the costs after that,
up to a maximum of $2,000 a
year.

The drug, derived from a
biochemically unique soil
fungus, and first used in 1970 as
an antibiotic, suppresses the
body’s immune system. It im-
mobilizes the natural defences
which attack foreign substances,
including a transplanted organ.

Terrace resident George
Faber, who had a heart
transplant in London, Ontario
in October of 1985, said he
didn’t know what to expect. “‘I
was told not'to worry about the
cost of the drug, which would be
about $7,000 or $8,000 a year.
Because Cyclosporine was con-
sidered an experimental drug.

NORTHERN WOMEN’S
CONFERENCE

Prince George, B.C.

APRIL 22, 23, 24, 1988
"Wilderness Survival”
WORKSHOPS * NETWORKING * ENTERTAINMENT
Display tables available

Contact Terrace Women's Resource Centre for registration information.

638-0228

the Swiss company _that
manufactures it supplies it free

to Vancouver General Hospital, .

which then distributes it at no
charge to transplant patients, It
will be interesting to see what
happens, if they try to bill me, in
the next couple of weeks when I
have to re-order it.’’

There has been no recent .

change in status of the drug. Ac-
cording to the Food and Drug
Directorate in Vancouver,
Cyclosporine was approved by
the federal government for use
as. an immuno-suppressant in
1984. Experimental uses for the
drug include treatment for
juvenile diabetes and AIDS. A
Pharmacare official told the
Terrace Review that the provin-
cial government had just issued
a press release stating that
Cyclosporine would not go into
the Pharmacare system as an-
nounced by the minister of
health. ‘‘Perhaps it was mixed
up with AZT, the growth hor-
mone” also used recently on an
experimental basis to treat

f

AIDS.
George Faber was pleased to
hear his drugs would continue to

‘ be supplied free of charge, and

that ‘‘the government isn't as
bad as it seemed.”

Mh ME

ah "Terrace Review — Wednesday, April 6, 1988 19

Fire Dep’t
seeks first.
responder |
status

Council’s Finance, Personnel

and Administration Committee .

is looking into a request by local
fire fig ters to notify the
Kamloops Emergency Dispatch
office of the availability of the
Terrace fire Department for
emergency and rescue calls.
According to Terrace Fire
Fighters Association Local 2685
president Ron Flemming, the
fire department used to respond
to emergencies when ambulance
dispatch was done out of the
firchall, but after it was moved
to Prince George they were no
longer called because dispatch
had not been told that the fire
department could respond.
Flemming said, ‘‘This pro-
blem would be eliminated if
Kamloops Dispatch would be
notified that the Terrace Fire

. Department is able to provide

the needs of the ‘First

+ ee |

Responder’,

The first responder concept,
he explained, was developed by
Emergency Health Services so
that in the event of an emergen-
cy, the agency able to respond
immediately would be notified
first,

He said that agency would
then provide the basic life sup-
port such as the control of
bleeding, maintaining breathing
and applying CPR until the am-
bulance arrived.

According to Flemming, ‘‘In
the past the Fire Department
would respond to all emergency
calls and motor vehicle accidents
within the City of Terrace. The

Rescue Unit would respond for.

rescue and extrication call
wherever required. This activity
has only been suspended in that
the Fire Department hasn’t been
notified of emergencies in our
area,’’

p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

mation contact Charlie

FOR SALE

Mills Memorial Hospital offers for sale by public
tender bid, a variety of used household furniture,
appliances and office equipment.

Items may be viewed at the Nurses Residence on
Thursday April 7, 1988 between the hours of 1:00

Bid forms and bidding instructions will be
available at the time of viewing. For further infor-

Plant Services, 635-2211 local 279.

Lindstrom, Director of

a4/bc

0-08)

The Terrace Co-op is having a lawn and garden seminar with

JACK ATKINSON
April 12, 1988 at 7:30 p.m.

. iin the Co-op cafeteria
— Coffee, Donuts and Discount Coupons —
SEE YOU THERE!!!

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2 TM tee BP Sten atte bree Te i e ee Nr

Ve ake

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