Lead a Fit and Healthy Life
Posts tagged Giving Back
Cancer Support and Giving Back
12 years ago
Always great to find resources that can help get support, information & answers out to the cancer community. Breakaway From Cancer partners with well known non-profits like Livestrong!, Stand Up for Cancer, and one I have never heard of but will look into: Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing.
You don’t have to fight cancer alone. Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer aims to raise awareness of the comprehensive array of resources available to cancer patients – from prevention to education and support to financial assistance and survivorship. In addition, Amgen and Breakaway from Cancer help spread the word about working together to conquer cancer through partnerships with organizations including the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing and Stand Up To Cancer.
Great cause, and some fun together = Giving Back made easy! I love to highlight ways anyone can give back and help a cause they support. Doesn’t take much time and there are loads of opportunities all around you. This one is in Philly and just show up, get some cheap eats and drinks and voila! You are helping Livestrong! and cancer survivors! Easy as pie.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG Challenge – a run/walk/bike fund-raising event that takes place in Philly in August. The 2010 LIVESTRONG Challenge will be host to the debut of Team Little. Yellow. Different., and we’re ready to pick a fight with cancer.
If you are in the PHILLY Area – fund-raising event will take place at J.D. McGillicuddy’s (111 Cotton Street, Philly PA) on Saturday, June 19th, 2010. Anticipate a 6pm-11pm event with live music and food and drink at discounted prices. So mark your calendars and save the date . For more information check out their Blog:Little.Yellow.Different
How Diet Affects Cancer by Dr Keith Block.
Some great resources and information from a well known and experienced doctor. You can find out more about Dr Block by visiting his website: Life over Cancer. Dr Andrew Weil is one of the few doctors out there in the public eye that I think really gets it. He understands that it’s a mix of modern science with “holistic” approach that can really make a difference. He lives in Tucson, AZ and works at the Arizona Cancer Center at the University of Arizona. Which if you read my blog regularly, you know is where I went to college. So if Dr Weil is involved, I tend to put more stock in it. So, Here’s what Dr Andrew Weil said about Life Over Cancer.
“Life Over Cancer is the program every cancer patient deserves in order to have the best chance for recovery and restoration of health.”–Dr. Andrew Weil, from the foreward of Life Over Cancer
Books make a difference – and you can help kids in need
02 years ago
Read about this over at Melicious’s Blog: The Clothes Make the Girl
Not only am I a big proponent of helping and giving back, I also work in the education field – so reading/books=right up my alley.
Books Make a Difference. BlogHer and BookRenter are donating 1000 books to kids in need, and all you have to do to help is post a comment on this blog.
See how easy it to help others!?
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation Lemonade Days – June 11, 12 & 13
02 years ago
I had the pleasure of meeting Jay and Liz Scott, the parents of an extraordinary little girl – Alex – and hearing their story a few years ago during a Leadership camp I organized for student’s that attend K12, Inc.* schools. After that meeting, we were so inspired , K12, Inc. partnered with them to ask our families from around the world to hold Lemonade Stands to raise awareness & money for childhood cancer research. This wonderful foundation, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, has raised more than $30 million for cancer research, and funded more than 100 research projects at nearly 50 institutions across the country to date.
When I first heard their story during the summer of 2007, I had no idea that I would soon be dealing with my own family journey with Cancer and remember being so floored by the courage and strength that these 2 showed when sharing Alex’s story. Now that I have my own cancer story to share – I completely understand the impact it has on your life, your expectations and your perspective. I have even more respect and admiration for them if that is even possible. They are truly amazing people! 
Register today for Lemonade Days – June 11th, 12th and 13th, 2010! and hold your own stand with your kids!
During Lemonade Days, dedicated volunteers host thousands of Alex’s Lemonade Stands across the country during the same June weekend that Alex first held her original stands. Each year, Lemonade Days raises over $1 million for childhood cancer research. It’s a great way to get out there and give back with your kids to a cause that directly impacts kids.
If you can’t hold a lemonade stand that weekend – you can hold it anytime of the year or get creative, and ask for birthday present donations or just simply send in a check. It really is a worthwhile cause!
Alexandra “Alex” Scott was born to Jay and Liz Scott in Manchester, Connecticut on January 18, 1996, the second of four children.
Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. On her first birthday, the doctors informed Alex’s parents that if she beat her cancer it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. Just two weeks later, Alex slightly moved her leg at her parents’ request to kick. This was the first indication of who she would turn out to be-a determined, courageous, confident and inspiring child with big dreams and big accomplishments.
By her second birthday, Alex was crawling and able to stand up with leg braces. She worked hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. She appeared to be beating the odds, until the shattering discovery within the next year that her tumors had started growing again. In the year 2000, the day after her fourth birthday, Alex received a stem cell transplant and informed her mother, “When I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand.” She said she wanted to give the money to the doctors to help them “help kids, like they had helped her”. True to her word, she held her first lemonade stand later that year and raised an amazing $2000 for “her hospital.”
While bravely battling her own cancer, Alex continued to hold yearly lemonade stands in her front yard to benefit childhood cancer research. News spread of the remarkable sick child dedicated to helping other sick children. People from all over the world, moved by her story, held their own lemonade stands and donated the proceeds to Alex and her cause.
In August of 2004, Alex passed away at the age of 8, knowing that, with the help of others, she had raised over $1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex’s family-including brothers Patrick, Eddie, and Joey and supporters are committed to continuing her inspiring legacy through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
*I work for K12, Inc and we are once again supporting Alex’s Lemonade Stand during Lemonade Days – encouraging our families to hold stands to raise money for cancer research. In the 2 years that we have partnered with ALSF, K12 students have raised more than $135,000! Not too shabby!!
Race for the Cure – June 5, Washington D.C.
32 years ago
Susan G Komen Race for the Cure!
On June 5th tens of thousands of people will gather on the National Mall in Washington DC to make a big impact on the global movement to end breast cancer forever. Many of us know of or have family or friends who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without a cure, an estimated 25 million people around the world will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 10 million could die over the next 25 years.
Up to 75 % of the Komen Global Race income stays in the Washington DC metropolitan area to fund local screening, treatment and education programs for the medically under served. The remaining dollars support the Susan G. Komen Global Promise Fund , a program which is dedicated to reaching under served people in areas where breast cancer mortality rates are the highest.
Please help us by joining in the walk/run on June 5th or by donating funds. To register, go to GlobalRaceforthecure.org. If you are unable to walk or run with us on Race Day, consider registering to Sleep In for the Cure.
No matter how you get involved, you will help make an impact.
Red Robin Encourages Kids to Give Back
02 years ago
For Nate’s birthday dinner, he wanted to go to Red Robin. While we were there, I read about something cool they are doing to encourage kids to make a difference.
How Do You Make a Difference Poem Contest
If you are between 5-10 years old, write a poem about how you make a difference in your community and submit it by May 23, 2010.
They have some cool prizes like Ipod Nanos, Coke gifts, and gift certificates. How cool is that? A fun way to encourage kids to give back and make a difference!
You will also find some Volunteering Tips for the kids too.
National Volunteer Week 2010: April 18 -24
02 years ago
by Stephy
in Giving Back
National Volunteer Week 2010
Celebrating People in Action
April 18 – 24, 2010
Join us as we celebrate ordinary people doing extraordinary things to transform their communities!
Tell us how you or someone you know has made an impact – share your stories, videos and photos of outstanding volunteers here. Celebrate these change agents and their efforts with us! Find inspiration as you scroll through compelling stories from across the nation.
Giving back
02 years ago
To me a vital part of living a healthy life is giving back. Giving back does not have to be any huge production either. There are tons of small ways to do it. For those of you that have volunteered, you know that there is very little in the world more rewarding than helping out others. I try to instill that awareness and understanding in own kids and am always looking for opportunities to show them ways they can make a difference. From my own experience, its really hard to find many real organized opportunities for kids under 13 to volunteer- but there are a few if you get creative and are willing to do some legwork.
- visiting a senior center or home. We call these grama and grampa centers at our house.
- walking along side our community ponds with friends picking up garbage. When we go for a walk in general we bring a bag to pick up any garbage or litter we see. We have also have done this with our Brownie troop and will do it again this year.
- finding a local charitable group that accepts good condition, used toys. The kids go through their own toys, pick some and then we deliver them as a family.
Don’t get me wrong – there is a lot of value in having them save and give money to charities or send letters etc – but I do think there is something intrinsically more valuable in younger kids experiencing the immediate impact of their actions and being able to see that what they do can make a real difference, even if it’s as simple as a smile and a hug.
Here is a great site that helps inspire high school students to give back:
Youth Noise is a nice web 2.0 resource for high school students to explore charitable causes and lend 
support to causes. Youth Noise allows users to create profiles, find information about current world events, and voice opinions on current issues. Some of the causes student can explore and support include animal rights, education, government, tolerance, and poverty.
A Window Screen is Not a Safety Device
02 years ago
Every year, in the United States, nearly 5,000 children — mostly toddlers — fall out of windows; 28 percent require a hospital stay and approximately 20 die. In 2008, 18 children were admitted to The Children’s Hospital for injuries suffered when they fell out of a window. A child who falls 10 feet can suffer spinal injury, paralysis and fatal head injury. Safe Kids Denver Metro reminds parents to be window safe as warmer weather approaches and window in the home are opened.
Window Safety – The Children’s Hospital-Denver Area, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Region.
A dear friend and co-worker of mine is grieving for her friends who over the weekend lost their 2 year old son due to a fall out a screen window in their home. It’s not one of the bigger dangers we think about often as parents, especially parents for toddlers. When we think about accidents, we think about parking lots and cars, toys, kitchen gadgets, fire and broken bones. I don’t know about you, but I do not think I have ever really thought about falls from a window.
I can’t even imagine the grief and anguish those parents are going through right now. Their religious pundit told them that everyone has a purpose here on Earth and when they have accomplished that purpose, it’s their time to leave. Hard to grasp or even understand that idea in relation to this tragedy – but sometimes one’s purpose doesn’t even become clear for months or even years later. I know for me – that was comforting to think about when dealing with our cancer experience. I hope that in time this family can also find comfort in that and look to rebuild a new normal for them which will lead them to the purpose.
Here is a reminder for anyone out there that has small children – A Window Screen is Not a Safety Device!
Here are some Window Safety Reminders:
Safe Kids Denver Metro also reminds parents and caregivers:
- Keep windows closed and locked when children are around, and keep furniture and anything that a child can climb away from windows to reduce the chances of a child falling through a window. When opening a window for ventilation chose one that a child cannot reach.
- If you have double-hung windows — the kind that can open down from the top as well as up from the bottom — it is generally safer to open the top pane, but growing kids may have enough strength, dexterity and curiosity to open the bottom pane. Don’t assume an unlocked window is childproof.
- Set and enforce rules that your child cannot play near windows especially the activity many kids love – jumping on the bed.
- Strategic landscaping may lessen the extent of injury sustained in the event of a fall. Shrubs and soft edging such as wood chips or grass under a window can cushion potential falls.
Sesame Street and Katie Couric Help Grieving Families
42 years ago
A friend of mine has volunteered in the past at the Comfort Zone Camp . This camp is the nation’s largest bereavement camp and it is offered free of charge to children ages 7-17 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. What a wonderful way to give back…
There is a special on PBS tonite about grieving families. A hard but very important topic to talk about.
On April 14, 2010 at 8 p.m. EST/PT, When Families Grieve will launch with the national premiere of a one hour primetime television special on PBS, featuring Katie Couric and the Sesame Street Muppets.
The special will present families’ personal stories about coping with the death of a parent, including Casey Holstein, and his two daughters, Carli and Lia, who are Comfort Zone campers.
Immediately following the special, Sesame Workshop will begin the roll out of close to one million free multimedia kits to families and grief service providers nationwide. All materials will also be available online at sesamestreet.org/grief beginning April 15.
via Sesame Street and Katie Couric Help Grieving Families | Hello Grief.
