Dear Clara Hughes, Canadian Olympic Hero and George Cope, Bell Canada's President and CEO: I added you to my petition because you both clearly understand the how crucial Article 1.5 is in the IOC's Code of Ethics which states: "Ensuring the participants’ conditions of safety, well-being and medical care favourable to their physical and mental equilibrium." Source: https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/IOC/What-We-Do/Leading-the-Olympic-Movement/Code-of-Ethics/Book-Code-of-Ethics-2016.pdf#_ga=1.232824795.411222591.1464669593 If I was an Olympic athlete, it would not help my well-being (especially my "mental equilibrium") to know that I am helping to draw hundreds of thousands of spectators to an event that can affect millions of people worldwide. One estimate I read: 4 million deaths because of Zika (worldwide) if the Rio Summer Olympics are held in August 2016. Furthermore, I know you both spearheaded the highly acclaimed Bell Let's Talk campaign. In fact, I wrote about it January 27th, 2011 on the now defunct Squidoo writing platform. An archived copy: https://web.archive.org/web/20130915080906/http://www.squidoo.com/bell-lets-talk Formerly, I studied nursing, orthotics/prosthetics, and ophthalmology – as an assistant/technician. I was a front-line worker (briefly) at St. Michael's hospital (Toronto, Canada) during the 2003 SARS outbreak. In this Ontario Nurses' Association Special Report: http://www.ona.org/documents/File/frontlines/ONA_SpecialSARSFeature_201304.pdf "In this special retrospective, we relive the nightmare our members on the front lines experienced with a province and employers ill-equipped to handle the deadly virus, the lessons learned, and why we are hopeful our members will never be put in a similar situation again." We are hopeful our members will never be put in a similar situation again. Zika concerns have been validated by world-renown experts. Every Canadian healthcare worker I know is dreading a repeat of what we are certain is a preventable global pandemic. We are the ones who will be administering to those babies, mothers, and families when Zika changes their lives forever. And it costs an astounding 1 to 2 million dollars to treat a baby affected by this newer strain of the Zika virus. Microcephaly is forever; the Olympics can be postponed, moved, or canceled. [And microcephaly is only one of the severe problems associated with Zika which can affect or kill children and adults as well]. When I learned about the WHO’s decision to ignore the warning from what is now 223 doctors and scientists (and counting), I knew I had to begin this petition. Please read (if you haven't already) their open letter to Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO which was copied to the IOC as well: http://rioolympicslater.org One of the authors of that letter, Prof. Amir Attaran, DPhil, LLB, MS. Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa also wrote this insightful Harvard Public Health Review titled "Off the Podium: Why Public Health Concerns for Global Spread of Zika Virus Means That Rio de Janeiro’s 2016 Olympic Games Must Not Proceed" http://harvardpublichealthreview.org/off-the-podium-why-rios-2016-olympic-games-must-not-proceed On May 28th, the IOC rejected the call to move or postpone the Olympics. And on May 30th, the scientists and health experts responded (and debunked the IOC's reasons): http://rioolympicslater.org/health-experts-response-to-who-on-zika-and-the-olympics-may-30-2016 On June 1st, WHO's Director-General Margaret Chan responded to US Senator Jeanne Shaheen: "Given the current level of international concern, I have decided to ask members of the Zika Emergency Committee to examine the risks of holding the Olympic Summer Games as currently scheduled." Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/zika-olympics-1.3615081 It's not so much the athletes that are at risk (although they are). It's the 500,000 visitors that are capable of carrying the Zika virus back to their home countries where local mosquitoes can also acquire and spread it that makes this such a nightmare. It's been largely downplayed in mainstream media that this is also a sexually transmitted disease transmitted by oral, vaginal, and anal sex. In fact, the virus lives longer in semen than in blood. On behalf of all Canadian healthcare workers and future moms and dads, please voice your concerns. I am sure you have them. "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Please sign and share this petition. Authors note: I cannot use italics, hyperlink, or change petition updates. Ergo, my links are not hidden. CC Dr. Attaran