Public Disservice Announcement

A few weeks ago, a colleague emailed me a hyperlink to the April 5, 2002, edition of the Wall Street Journal’s Opinion Journal column. The headline read, “Awareness Daze: Killer Backpacks Are Only the Start.”

My interest was piqued after the first paragraph: “Only 27 days to go in the National Backpack Safety Month. According to the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations, the organizer of this momentous event, we should spend the month of April meditating on the serious danger of ‘carrying overloaded backpacks to and from school.’” This is great, I thought to myself, positive press for chiropractic.

But then, my hopes were dashed with the following paragraph: “Before you get too wrapped up contemplating kiddies who end up in the hospital under a heap of algebra books, remember that today also happens to be Kick Butts Day...While we’re on the subject, it’s also Bonza Bottler Day (celebrating when the number of the day is the same as the number of the month), Mule Day...Now an organized person might be able to combine all this awareness in a day...Most of us, however, can’t be bothered. There are so many awareness days, that we are no longer aware of them.”

I was puzzled as to how the author, Kimberly A. Strassel, could compare something as serious as long-term spinal deformities to Bonza Bottler Day or Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (mentioned later in the story). I was so perplexed that I reread the first section again. The author continued to recount ridiculous international awareness days. While I agree with her opinion on “awareness-day fatigue,” I question her use of the backpack-awareness example.

Strassel later concedes, “OK, I admit I didn’t know that 6,000 kids ended up in the hospital each year from overloaded backpacks.” But then she continues unrepentantly, “But do I care? Presumably if my child went off to school looking like he was doing the limbo, I’d pull some of the books out. Presumably I’d know to do this even without National Backpack Safety Month...My suggestion: A National No Awareness Days Day.”

Really Ms. Strassel? Then I presume that you are more aware than the parents of those 6,000 hospitalized children. My suggestion: Read the Wall Street Journal Health Journal April 5, 2002, column titled, “Overstuffed Backpacks Are Giving Children Adult-like Back Pain” more carefully.

Experts such as chiropractors, medical doctors, and physical therapists do not see this as a ridiculous topic to lump together with other silly awareness days. Strassel has done a public disservice to those who are ignorant of the perils of overloaded backpacks.

Is she aware of that?

Miwon Seo
mseo@medpubs.com