Patients deserve dignity in death, euthanasia

Thomas Hair Online Copy Editor My great-grandfather was once a brilliant man. He was a sagacious scholar and pastor, a loving husband and father. Unfortunately, I never truly knew this man. For my entire life I have known him only as the perpetually confused man with a hacking cough. Now, at 93 and expected to pass away at any time, my once-proud grandfather’s Alzheimer’s Disease has peaked to where he can no longer perform basic bodily functions on his own. The past dozen years have been miserable for him, but they have also taken a huge toll on my great-grandmother – who has had to care for him single-handedly. I almost get the sense that his…

Coppell fights for a world with more birthdays

Story by Jodie Woodward Staff Photographer Video by Kara Allison A world with more birthdays is the motivation behind the battle, and Relay for Life is how it is being fought. Luminaria, paper bags with candles inside commemorating cancer patients, lined the sidewalks of Wagon Wheel Park at the Coppell Relay for Life on the night of April 30, representing the battles that have been fought for cancer or are still in process. Loved ones were mourned, lives were celebrated and money was raised through this event. Relay for Life is a yearly event held across the United States to raise awareness about cancer and fundraise the search for a cure. Community members form teams,…

Flu season brings with it extra precautions

Ashley Attanucci Web Manager Flu season peaks in American every year about the same time, February. And though each year brings new and different strains of the flu -as we saw last year with the infamous swine flu- this year proves to be an especially important year to watch for influenza. The flu has recently hit CHS hard as the month of January came to a close, leaving students and teachers bed-ridden for the rest of their week. So while the 6-day snow break allowed for the school-wide epidemic to simmer down, students and families should still take the neccessary precautions to avoid this year’s flu and avoid chances of students catching it at school…

The truth about swine flu: Mythbusters edition

By Ellen Cameron Staff Writer High school may be a Petri dish, but this year, Coppell High School has become a breeding ground for not only diseases, but for rumors about diseases as well. Last May, swine flu was treated like a biochemical weapon of massed destruction, and many schools shut down. For about two weeks, the nation was in complete panic mode. With the start of the new school year, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of swine flu cases as students are frequently in close contact once again. In many cases, rumors add to the panic more than anything. To keep you informed about the virus, The Sidekick brings you a special…

Swine flu vaccine is on the way

By Yogesh Patel Graphic Artist As fears of a global epidemic of H1N1, better known as swine flu, increase, the pressure is on for the government to take action. The H1N1 virus is a strand of flu virus with a combination of human, bird, and pig strands. Because very few have been exposed to this combination, lack of immunity against this virus fuels fears the swine flu could soon swell to epidemic proportions in a short time. With schools opening again after a summer where in concerns over the swine flu decreased, the number of people diagnosed with swine flu has increased dramatically. In response to the threat, the US government has authorized $1.15 billion…