Kokua Line
Kokua Line
I contribute to cancer foundations and many others. But I'm not so sure the Hawaii area gets some of my donations, in particular to The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR). I can't find their number in the phone book and I get no response when I called the national number, 1-800-321-2873. NFCR has done much
in hunt for cancer cureDirectly, none of your money is spent in Hawaii.
"But (your) question misses the point of what NFCR is raising money to support: basic science research," said Franklin Salisbury, the president of the NFCR, based in Bethesda, Md.
Indirectly, your support "may well be responsible for a whole new treatment for cancer that will impact every cancer patient in Hawaii," he said.
The NFCR was founded in 1973 to support the research of Nobel Laureate Albert Szent-Gyorgyi. It has spent more than $160 million in supporting scientists "whose research was recognized as being on the 'cutting edge' of science, and yet who were unable to obtain support from the federal government," Salisbury said.
"Here is the rub: For a researcher to obtain federal monies, the scientist must already know what he or she is going to find."
Salisbury sent Kokua Line a packet of information, including a 1997 annual report and letters from top researchers.
Call with your address and we'll pass it on. Or write to the NFCR, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 500W, Bethesda, MD 20814.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus says the NFCR meets its 23 standards for charitable giving.
You can also call the Better Business Bureau of Hawaii, 536-6956, with questions about any charitable group.
The BBB passed on these tips: Don't be fooled by names that look impressive or resemble a well-known organization; ask questions and don't give until you are satisfied with the answers; solicitation appeals should not be disguised as bills or invoices; mail appeals should clearly identify the charity and its programs; never give in to pressure to give money on the spot; it is against the law to demand payment for merchandise you did not order; keep records of your donations for tax purposes; do not give cash -- always give by check and make the check payable to the charity, or an individual.
My dentist of many years abruptly ceased practice and left the state. Do I have any entitlement to my records? I called the Board of Dental Examiners and basically was told they don't know. How can a patient get hold of his records to continue treatment? "It is my understanding that the records belong to the dentists. However, they should be able to make copies for the patient," said James Kobashigawa, executive director, state Board of Dental Examiners.
This was based on his experience with the board and with other inquiries, because there is nothing written that says anything about giving patients their records, he said.
Kobashigawa said he gave you some options to pursue, including filing a complaint with the state Regulatory Industries Complaints Office if you felt there was a violation of a statute or rule.
Or, you could write to the board and ask for a determination. However, the determination would be an informal one, Kobashigawa said. If you wanted a formal ruling, you should file a petition for declaratory relief. But that is a lengthy process, involving an administrative hearing.
Kobashigawa said he could not give you a forwarding address for the dentist because of confidentiality laws.
So, yes, there is no definitive answer to your question, although there is a route to pursue one. The alternative would be to try to track down the dentist yourself.
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com
