BBC Health — Sarah
Caltieri is certain her teenage rebellion cost her sight. A type 1
diabetic since the age of seven, she and her family had always taken
care to ensure she checked her blood sugar levels and had her
injections on time. But when she hit puberty she started to react
against her regimented lifestyle. Sarah wanted to become a performing
artist and believed she was competing in an industry that rated
thinness above all other qualities. Sarah, now 27, and from London,
started taking risks, such as missing out on meals, and developed an
eating disorder. Her sugar levels went haywire and Sarah’s diabetes
started spiralling out of control as she did untold damage to her body.
“Because my life was so centred around eating, I thought I would not
make it in my chosen career because you have to be skinny,” she
said.  “I was warned about the complications that could happen if
I carried on, but you never think it will happen to you.  “I
wasn’t realising the damage I was doing to my body. It’s not something
that was at the forefront of my mind.  “It was the fact that I was
fat. I needed to be thin to be a singer and to be an actor.  “And
that was the only way I was going to make it.”  The retina is damaged when blood vessels
haemorrhage  Sarah started starving herself and bingeing – and
missing injections.  She lost weight, but found her sugar-level
problems meant she could not concentrate on learning her lines or
singing so had to put her career on hold.  One day she felt really
ill at work and was hit with the realisation that if she did not act
soon she could die.  “I think that was the point when I said to
myself: ‘Right, I need help’.” Sarah went for
counselling, got her blood-sugars under control and started feeling
better.  But her sight had been badly affected and deteriorated to
the point that she had to be registered blind.  Her kidneys were
also damaged, but they have since recovered. (12/04/06)
more…

BBC Earth — It
has been a busy few weeks for Marianne Thieme. Ten days ago, she made
history as one of two animal-rights candidates to win election to the
Dutch parliament. They are the first animal-rights MPs anywhere in the
world. On Thursday 30 November, she and her fellow MP, Esther Ouwehand,
were sworn in as MPs. Now their real work begins: to persuade the next
government (which has yet to be formed) to adopt animal-friendly
policies. “I miss compassion in our society,” Ms Thieme says. “When I
look at animals, they are innocent. We are treating them like they are
things, like they are bicycles. That’s not what we have to be as human
beings. We have common sense and moral awareness, so we have to use
that as well.” In its manifesto the Party for the Animals (PvdD) says
protection for animals should not be defined by the market. It wants to
abolish the biotechnology industry and promote organic agriculture
instead. It calls for an end to industrial farming practices such as
castration and tougher penalties for those who abuse animals, as well
as an end to ritual slaughter without anaesthesia. Ms Thieme, 34, a
lawyer by training, was one of the founders of the Party for the
Animals in November 2002. The party only narrowly missed winning a
parliamentary seat in January 2003. Now it has made the breakthrough.
The Netherlands, famously liberal, has turned to the right in recent
years on questions of immigration and integration. But the PvdD’s
success shows that in other areas it is upholding its reputation as one
of the most progressive countries in Europe. … “We’re a small
country,” says the sanctuary’s founder, Tonnie van Meegen. “We don’t
have much but we live with what we have.” He thinks the Party for the
Animals will be able to make a real difference. “I believe when we have
a voice in the parliament, talking about what is happening with birds
and animals, the other members of parliament will hear that. When you
never hear something, you don’t know. But when you hear it, you give it
your mind and you give it your heart.” Ms Thieme hopes the success of
the Party for the Animals will encourage other similar parties across
Europe. (12/04/06)
more…

BBC Environment –
Vast tracts of rainforest in Brazil are to get a new protected status.
The segments of land in the northern Para state together cover 15
million hectares (57,915 sq miles), an area of land that is bigger than
England. Thousands of wildlife species inhabit the pristine forest,
including jaguars, anteaters and colourful macaws. Campaigners say the
decision made by Para Governor Simao Jatene is one of the most
important conservation initiatives of recent years. It will protect the
land from the unsustainable logging and agriculture practices that have
blighted many parts of the Amazon. “If any tropical rainforest on Earth
remains intact a century from now, it will be this portion of northern
Amazonia, due in large part to the governor’s visionary achievement,”said Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International. “The
region has more undisturbed rainforest than anywhere else, and the new
protected areas being created by Para state represent an historic step
toward ensuring that they continue to conserve the region’s rich
biodiversity and maintain its essential ecosystem services.” Seven new
areas will gain protection, and they will link with existing reserves
to form a huge conservation corridor in the northern Amazon. This
corridor, known as the Guyana Shield region, stretches from
neighbouring Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana into Brazil. It is
regarded a global conservation priority, containing more than 25% of
Earth’s humid tropical forests. Almost 90% of the Guyana Shield forest
is untouched, and the area also contains the most significant
freshwater reserves in the American tropics: almost 20% of the world’s
water runs through it. (12/04/06)
more…