Despicable attempt to exploit cancer victims

DURING the past week I received a sticker through my letterbox requesting a donation of used clothing and shoes supposedly to support breast cancer prevention programmes.

This sticker, to be attached to a plastic bag of donated clothing, etc, bore a print of the pink, crossed ribbon usually associated with breast cancer research activities.

It also bore the instruction ‘Do not delay!’ and gave a collection day.

An attempt to contact the originators of this scheme by phone and email failed.

However, a Google search turned up information from Wigan district council office in Lancashire which left little doubt but that this collector had no connection with any cancer foundation (bar a nebulous promise to donate to cancer research).

The local authority there strongly advised recipients of this request to deal with it as spurious, being no more than an attempt to obtain used clothing, etc., for private commercial purposes and gain.

The council also indicated that the organisation behind this was based in Lithuania, and was without credence or probity.

I imagine that here in Ireland districts other than Waterford will likely be visited by this organisation, and that great caution should be exercised by any recipients of such request stickers.

That the immensely important subject of breast cancer research and prevention should be used by unscrupulous collectors as a means of private profit is beneath contempt.

There seems every reason that such people should be investigated by the gardaí in order to stamp out such disgusting behaviour.

There is no family in the land which remains untouched in some way by the scourge of cancer, and to have their compassion exploited by such people is utterly deplorable.

The public must be on its guard against such vile practices.

David Grant

34 Mount Pleasant

Waterford