DON'T WASTE CASH ON FAKE REMEDIES

Whilst we cough and moan our way through a cold snap, news reaches us via Amer from Gaza: "They bombed the central vegetable market in Gaza city two hours ago. 80 injured, 20 killed. All came here to Shifa Hades! We wade in death. Blood and amputees. Many children. Pregnant women. I have never experienced anything so terrible. Now hearing tanks." That's from a doctor volunteering there. Whatever your views on it, and we're no fans of Hamas, innocents are being slaughtered and need medical aid. Sadly, here's what Medical Aid for Palestinians say: "There's no gauze so they are using cotton, which sticks to the wounds. They can't sterilise clothes for the operating theatre. They're using wrong sized syringes. They're working 24 hours. They're referring cases from one hospital to the next. One hospital was running out of anaesthesia. They're also drawing blood and there's no alcohol. This is a disaster."  So, don't waste your cash on remedies that don't work. We've donated the cash we were going to waste on cough and cold medicines already. We know many Damaged members have collectively donated thousands in the past to UNICEF UK's Gujurat Earthquake Appeal, The Primary Immunodeficiency Association and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). You know who you are. If you've got some spare cash, and we know times are "tough" etc, you can donate again to MAP here or by ringing them on 0207 226 4114. Alternatively, you can donate to the UNICEF Palestinian Children Appeal here. A tenner sorts out a mobile blood transufion kit.