You, Too, Can Stand Up To Chaos

Parents, doctors and musicians have dug deep this week to face down hurricanes, violence and disease.

What do you say after a week when one man in a high-rise casino hotel rains a storm of bullets and terror on a crowd of strangers? I’m stumped. We do know, from accounts of people still reeling from hurricanes in Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and beyond, that many folks right now are hurting and overwhelmed – coping with a world that feels, at times, wildly out of control.   The reality, of course, is that much of life is beyond our control. Yet some people are working hard to tame their corner of the chaos, in little ways and big. We caught some of their stories in Shots this week.   Anna Gorman/KHN Parents Lobby States To Expand Newborn Screening Test For Rare Brain Disorder There's a genetic test for ALD, the inherited disorder portrayed in the movie Lorenzo's Oil, and the federal government recommends it for all newborns. Urged on by parents, a handful of states have started offering the test routinely, so these kids can get early treatment and grow up healthy.   California Bill Would Compel Drugmakers To Justify Price Hikes A bill passed by this bellwether state’s legislature would require drugmakers to give 60 days' notice before raising a drug's price by 16 percent or more over two years – and to justify the price increase. California has a big drug market – the governor’s signature could make national waves in bringing down the price of needed medicine. You don’t have to pass a bill to make a difference. Our NPR colleague, Mandalit del Barco has been in Puerto Rico this week, where “easy access to electricity, clean drinking water or food” is still elusive for many residents. In San Juan, del Barco met a group of street musicians bringing joy and news via the call-and-response Puerto Rican musical tradition known as Plena. Angel Valentin for NPR “Winding through the neighborhood streets, they sing about resilience,” del Barco says. " ‘Our plena, our song, our music, is stronger – our community is stronger than Maria.’ " Community is stronger than any chaos. Hang in there, everybody. We’re with you, and would love to hear – and share – what you’re doing to right the world. Email us here. We'd love to hear your thoughts. -- Your Shots editor, Deborah Franklin You received this message because you're subscribed to our Health emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002