Union fight soldiers on

LYNN – A group of around 30 protesters assembled in front of Union Hospital with “Save Union Hospital” signs and banners Monday for a rally to save the hospital from Partners HealthCare’s plan to eliminate medical care there.The protesters were met with a generally positive response, with nearly every other person driving by honking their car horn and waving back.Many said that this protest was especially important because of the public hearing planned for next Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Lynn City Hall. At that time, the public will have the opportunity to voice its opinion about the decision. Many of the protesters felt like this was something they haven’t yet had the opportunity to do. “We would love to have Partners come out with an open mind and talk with us,” said state Rep. Donald Wong. “We want to have open communication about it. We can give our take, they can give theirs.”Hopefully the pressure of the community will get them talking,” he said. “I wish the decision wasn’t already made before we talked.””We’re hoping to remind people to look up the cause and get them to the hearing next week,” said Lynn resident Katerina Panagiotakis.The Lynn City Council decided to hold the public hearing when a petition with 164 certified signatures stating opposition to Partners’ plans to close the hospital was submitted in July. Only 150 signatures are required for a public hearing.”The public hearing is asking the attorney general to open an investigation on North Shore Medical Center because there are facts that have not been heard yet,” said Panagiotakis. “Based on those facts, we think we have a really good chance to say that the hospital needs to remain where it is.”Our main goal is to ensure that the public’s support is still here,” she said. “The community wants it to stay. It’s a simple, basic argument that we have, and we just want to bring out the public’s support.”Advocates for saving the hospital felt they were blindsided when they heard news of the hospital closing, said resident Bob Sena.”Their business plan is like a kid in a schoolyard,” Sena said. “If I can’t get my way, I’m taking my ball and going home.”Originally Partners proposed changing Union into a behavioral-health facility and later it changed its proposal to move to close the hospital alltogether.”It scared me that they wanted to turn it into a mental-health facility,” said Sena. “This is a residential neighborhood with two schools. The next step would be a methadone clinic with this heroin epidemic going on. It would have changed this neighborhood overnight.”The biggest problem, said Wong, is that the community feels like they haven’t been informed about what is happening. It’s hard to know what is true and what is a rumor, he said.”We have to educate the public. That’s the most important thing,” said Wong. “We deserve to understand what is going on without them always having already made their decision without the community. Let the people make their own decisions.””We need the people, City Council, local police, government and everybody to really step up to the plate,” said Carl Phillips, who organizes fundraisers and standouts for the Save Union Hospital advocates.”Greater Lynn has a population of over 90,000,” said Wong. “To say that this city is not going to have a full-service operated hospital is ridiculous. If you have something like a heart attack, you’re supposed to go all the way to Salem Hospital.”I really believe it’s a quality of life issue,” he said.The public hearing will be held on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the Lynn City Hall Council Chambers, and all are welcome to attend.