Last December, Suffolkians came together to raise over $13,000 for Emily Haley, whose cystic fibrosis will require her to have a double-lung transplant. Now it’s time for the city to donate a few more dollars.

Martina Natoli, a former student at Forest Glen Middle and now resident of Virginia Beach, was born with the same affliction as Haley, as is also waiting for a double-lung transplant. Over the past year, people from across the country have raised six figures for Haley – now it’s time to do it again. While this little girl spend two hours a day being shaken by airway clearance vests and is dependent on medications when she should be out playing with her friends and worrying about learning pre-Algebra. She never knows when she might be stricken with an infection that will require hospitalization.

That’s more than any youngster should have to deal with. It’s more than anyone should ever have to worry about. But when it happens, we, the unaffiliated &uot;lucky&uot; ones, have an obligation to help out those in need. It’s not just the honorable thing to do. It’s not just the compassionate thing to do. When there are children involved, it’s the only thing to do.

For more information, contact Martina’s grandmother Dee Shannon at 986-3828 or Nancy Kinsey at 479-9563, or mail donations to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, 2501 COTA Drive, Bloomington, Ind., 47403. Martina also has an account set up at Wachovia back, account #300025418629.

— JN