Thursday March 21st!
9-10pm EST
26
Feb
Vaccine Safety Resources
Amy Pisani is the Executive Director of Every Child by Two, which is a non-profit focusing on child health advocacy by providing education on the importance of vaccines. She has provided us a comprehensive list of resources you can refer to regarding vaccine safety. Click on the link below to open up the PDF document. And, thanks Amy!
Vaccine Safety Resource with Links
24
Feb
Global Access to Vaccines
Capitol Hill visit-Credit: Daniel Cima/ UN Foundation
Many of you know that I recently came home from a trip to Washington, DC, where I attended a United Nations Foundation training for their Shot@Life campaign. The Shot@Life campaign educates, connects and empowers Americans to help protect children in developing countries from vaccine-preventable diseases. How does this happen? Vaccines. 1 in 5 children around the world does not have access to life saving vaccines. And, every 20 seconds a child dies from a disease that can be prevented, like polio, measles, rotovirus and pneumococcal disease. To give this statistic a picture, imagine all of the kindergarten classes in the United States this year, now picture half of those children missing. Unsettling isn’t it?
As a Mother who lost a daughter to a non-vaccine preventable form of pneumococcal meningitis, I understand how difficult it is to not only lose a child but also the importance of vaccines. A vaccine could not save my daughter, but guess what, vaccines do save lives every single day. We live in a country that has access to wonderful medicine, vaccines, and preventative care. Of course, in our country we also have the choice whether we access these services or not. But, that’s another story. The truth is, vaccinating our children from diseases in our country is a luxury we take for granted. We drive 10 minutes down the street to the pediatrician’s office, coffee in one hand, cell phone in the other. Our child gets a simple shot, they cry for 3 seconds, they get a sticker or small toy and the event is over. It’s pretty easy to take for granted the luxuries of our world. Don’t get me wrong, I love our country and love that we have access to anything we need at any given time.
But, many families in developing countries do not have the luxury of having access to something simple, like a vaccine, that can save their child’s life. Far away from here, Mothers are walking days to get their children vaccinated for polio and other infectious diseases. They view their vaccination card like that famous yellow ticket contestants get on American Idol. It’s a treasured piece of paper and valued in their family. I don’t know about you, but I want to give children a chance at winning that yellow ticket on American Idol.
How about you? Do you want to make this world a better place? Sound like a lofty goal? It’s not, and here is why. Once you understand what Shot@Life is all about, you understand that this is personal. We have the ability to do good, to be great, to make a difference. You have the opportunity of being part of something greater than yourself, to give a child a healthy shot at life.
There are many ways you can get involved with Shot@Life. You can advocate (it’s easier than you think), you can raise funds or lobby for the cause. Utilize whatever your gift may be and together, let’s make this world a better place. Click here to learn more.
14
Feb
New Vaccine information blog,Team Vaccine.
The Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition (CCIC) launched a new blog today called Team Vaccine. The Team Vaccine blog will feature posts from doctors, nurses, parents, researchers, advocates and community members who are passionate about immunization and protecting kids from vaccine-preventable disease. Today I was fortunate to be the first post. Read my story.
Jen with twin daughters, Mary and Emma
23
Jan
Shot@Life Champion
ABOUT SHOT@LIFE
Shot@Life educates, connects and empowers Americans to champion vaccines as one
of the most cost-effective ways to save the lives of children in developing countries. A
national call to action for this global cause, the campaign rallies the American public,
members of Congress, and civil society partners around the fact that together, we can
save a child’s life every 20 seconds by expanding access to vaccines. By encouraging
Americans to learn about, advocate for, and donate vaccines, the United Nations
Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign will decrease vaccine-preventable childhood deaths
and give children a shot at a healthy life. To learn more, go to ShotatLife.org.
WHY VACCINES?
Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective ways to save and improve the lives of
children. Without vaccines, children have no protection against deadly and disabling
diseases like measles, pneumonia, diarrhea and polio. With vaccines, children can
reach important life milestones that Americans routinely celebrate.
For just a few dollars, we can give children around the world a shot at more firsts.
When children begin life with the protection of vaccines, we open the door for their
growth and development—their first steps, their first words, their first day of school.
Immunized children are more likely to celebrate birthdays, attend school and go on to
be productive, healthy adults.
Vaccination efforts have already made a difference. The Measles Initiative has
vaccinated one billion children in 60 developing countries since 2001, decreasing
world measles deaths by 74 percent. The world is 99 percent polio-free, and polio
eradication is within reach.
EVERY CHILD DESERVES A SHOT AT A HEALTHY LIFE, NO MATTER
WHERE THEY LIVE
Seventy percent of all unvaccinated children live in just 10 developing countries.
These children may seem a world away, but they aren’t much different than the
children in our own lives. By giving them access to vaccines, we can help give them
the shot at life that every child deserves.
JOIN NOW
Together, we are building a movement to help ensure children have access to
life-saving vaccines. Our partners are already hard at work, advocating for and
delivering these vaccines where they are needed the most.
Your voice, your time and your support can change a child’s life forever.
To learn more and be a child’s shot@life, go to ShotatLife.org.
The campaign has partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, Every Child By Two, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Global Poverty
Project, Lions Clubs International, Mocha Moms, Real Simple Magazine and Rotary International to
broaden American support for immunizations against diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and polio
to children in developing countries. Together, these partners are working with Shot@Life to benefit the GAVI
Alliance, UNICEF and the World Health Organization who are already saving lives and improving the health
of millions of children around the world every day.
18
Oct
Castle Rock Youth Helps Mary’s Books!
I love feel-good stories. If you do too, you’ll really love this story. A few months ago our family received a sweet email from a young boy who asked if it was okay if he collected books for Mary’s Books. This elementary school boy was working on earning his Black Belt and participating in a service project within the community is part of earning this belt. We were of course thrilled to have someone so young be interested in collecting books for other kids. His goal was to collect 25 books but he ended up collecting over 200 books! This young man, put down his video games, turned off the TV and went out to do something special for kids his own age, kids he doesn’t know and will never meet. We are so proud of him and honored to have him be part of Mary’s Books and be part of something so beautiful. Don’t you feel good now?
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