WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 13
TIME TO STAND UP
AGAINST CANCER
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness
Month and it is time to stand up in
the fi ght against the disease.
Prostate cancer is the second cause
of cancer death; 164,690 men will be
diagnosed with it this year, and 29,430
men will die of this disease this year.
The key is early detection which will
give a better outcome in fi ghting this
disease. I know that only too well.
I was diagnosed in January 2015. I
was going to have knee surgery and I
had to have a physical by my primary
doctor. The test showed I had a higher
PSA level, and my doctor therefore
directed me to a urologist named Dr.
Gary Goldberg, where it was discovered
my PSA had gotten higher and
needed a biopsy.
It was found I had an aggressive
prostate cancer but it had not spread
yet; even so, I would need my prostate
removed. I did what had to be done. I
was 66 years old then and now I am
69, and my PSA numbers have remained
low.
There are many treatments out
there today depending on the progression
of the cancer. I call for all
men over 50 to get tested, for your
life depends upon it and your family
depends upon you to live.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
BEMOANING
DISAPPEARING
BRIARWOOD
My family has lived in Briarwood
for 70 years. I’m writing about what
I deem is the “cementifi cation” of our
neighborhood.
Much of the cementifi cation has to
do with homeowners moving in and,
within a short period, removing any
greenery on their property: lawns,
trees, vegetation of any kind — and
replacing it with concrete or pavers.
Over the last several years, old
growth trees have been removed by
new property owners or destroyed by
storms.
Ironically, the de-greening has not
only taken away from the beautiful
enclave that made Briarwood a special
oasis, the barren landscape doesn’t
help draining when it rains, and fl oods
develop when we have storms.
What’s more, from a real estate
perspective, the most coveted, highly
valued areas are those in which
there are old growth trees lining
the streets and well-maintained
greenery by owners who take pride
in their homes. Briarwood is fast becoming
a bland, grey, nondescript,
treeless neighborhood and it breaks
my heart. It used to be so pretty. It
used to feel like a “briarwood,” but
now its name is pretty much an
oxymoron.
I truly feel, before we know it, the
natural beauty of Briarwood will
disappear entirely, all because of
manmade property owner choices
— because people can’t be bothered
to rake some leaves or tend gardens.
It’s sad.
L. Grimm, Briarwood
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LETTERS AND COMMENTS
During a week in which
we commemorated
the 17th anniversary
of the Sept. 11, 2001
terrorist attacks, we
thought it would be
a good time to share
with you this picture
of one of the many
memorials held immediately
following the
tragedy. This picture,
from the Ridgewood
Times archives, shows
thousands of people
attending a candlelight
vigil at Juniper Valley
Park in Middle Village
on Sunday night, Sept.
16. The park has hosted
the community’s annual
vigil in honor of the
9/11 victims every year
since. Send us your historic
photos of Queens
by email to editorial@
qns.com (subject: A
Look Back) or mail
printed pictures to A
Look Back, ℅ Editorial
Department, 38-15
Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY
11361. All mailed pictures
will be carefully
returned to you.
A LOOK BACK
Photo courtesy of Ridgewood Times archives