World Rare Disease Day is February 29th - PSA

World RARE Disease Day is coming up on February 29^th. Did you know that 1 in 10 Americans are affected by RARE disease and more than 350 million people are affected worldwide?  75% of RARE diseases affect children and 30% of children with a RARE disease will die before their 5^th birthday.

Do these statistics astonish you? 

"The Global Genes Project is a grassroots effort to bring more awareness to the rare disease community as more awareness will lead to more support and funding which will aid in developing treatments and cures. Currently only 5% of rare diseases have any sort of treatment; there are no cures."

Call to actions:

1. Join the "1 Million for RARE" movement and like the Global Genes Project Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/globalgenesproject
2. Tweet with  @GlobalGenes. Use #1Mil4RARE

Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving - PSA

This is SO important!  I just HAD to take a moment to put this post up.

I've personally been the designated driver.  I've ALSO had occasion where I left my car where it was and had someone else take me home.  I've lost friends - my daughters have lost friends.   I've seen two people, who had never had so much as a speeding ticket in their life, and almost never drank,  end up in jail for their own misjudgment of just how sober they actually were (one of them hit two people on a motorcycle - both of the motorcycle riders died - what a horrible tragedy for all involved).

In my opinion, the worst buzzed drivers are those who, like me, don't drink often.  Don't forget - the effects of that LAST drink don't hit you until well after you've finished drinking it.

If you feel even a little "buzzed", you shouldn't drive - at all. 

Halloween night is often one of the deadliest nights of the year due to the number of impaired drivers on the streets.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009, 48 percent of all traffic fatalities on Halloween night involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a BAC of .08 or higher.  Halloween means dark streets full of little kids distracted by candy and costumes. That makes it especially important to start planning a safe and sober ride home from whatever fun you’ll be having that night — so your evening doesn’t take a truly scary turn.

Whether at a Halloween party, a costume contest at a bar or trick-or-treating through the neighborhood, many of us will be on the road this weekend. NHTSA and the Ad Council are reminding everyone that the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead and designate a sober driver before you head out for your Halloween festivities.

If you are throwing a Halloween party, use this wonderful list of non-alcoholic beverages for your party's designated drivers.

If you're planning to drink, print and carry this list of alternative ride programs to make certain you get home safe and that you don't hurt anyone else on the road.  Better yet, plan ahead and schedule a pickup BEFORE you go to your party.

Take the pledge.  Visit the Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving website  - you can also play “Spot the Difference,” an interactive game that simulates the effects of buzzed driving; and watch a real-life video about how buzzed driving changed one woman’s life.

PLEASE - be safe and keep others safe as well.  The cost is much too high for you not to.

PSA - Texting and driving - DON'T!

AT&T produced this video with permission to share.  I cried almost all of the way through it, because I have a daughter who won't stop texting while driving.  I could picture myself as the mom in this video.

If you text and drive; if you know someone who texts and drives; if you're thinking about texting and driving ... DON'T!  Watch this video and share it with others.

If your browser doesn't support embedded video, you can view the clip here.

TODAY is the day! Help Stamp Out Hunger!! (PSA)

Every day, millions of people go hungry right here in the United States.  Working moms go hungry because they want to make certain their children have enough to eat.  Retirees go hungry because there's just not enough cash to go around.  There are too many reasons to list.  But you can do something simple to help:

Today, May 9, is the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.  This is the largest single-day food drive in America.  This drive is co-sponsored by many others, including Feeding America®, which is the nation's largest hunger relief organization, securing and distributing nearly 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually.

How to help:

1. Place non-perishable* food products in a bag
2. Leave at your mailbox on Saturday, May 8th
3. Your letter carrier will pick up and deliver to local food banks or pantries

 *Donate items like canned meats, fish, soup, juice and vegetables, and pasta, cereal and rice. Please do not include items that have expired or are in glass containers.

YOUR five minutes can help make a difference!  Visit the Help Stamp Out Hunger website for more information.

Take Back the Night (PSA)

As we were walking home from picking Bebe Boy James up from daycare, Bebe Girl Autumn:

(that's her) asked if she could stay after school late on Thursday, because she had been helping to plan their "Take Back the Night" event for that evening.  She also asked me if I wanted to come.

Of course I will be there.

We lost our stepsister/daughter less than a year ago to domestic violence at the tender age of 23, and every day, I ask myself if there is SOMEthing ... ANYthing that I could have done or said that would mean that she would still be here to grow into her potential.  No woman deserves to be a victim of violence because of her gender (rape and other sexual assault) or because she doesn't feel strong enough to fight her way out of a violent partnership.

From the Take Back the Night website:

"10 Points of Light

Take a stand against sexual violence as we encircle the entire United States on Thursday, April 29, 2010 with 10 Points of Light to Take Back The Night! Each of our ten locations will light vigil candles simultaneously at 9pm EST (6pm PST) and unite in support of survivors of sexual violence to illuminate the darkness of abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault."

There is a link to read more on the main events and there is also a link to find a local event near you.

If you are in or know someone else who is in a violent situation, please visit the "Resources" section of their site and take whatever steps are necessary.  Do EVERYthing you can to get out.  It may mean that you have to move and/or change your job or cause you monetary hardship .. but you'll be ALIVE.

I've lived through domestic violence.  I've counseled domestic violence victims. I've lost one of my bebe girls to domestic violence. I know how horrible and difficult and frightening every single day can be.

None of us deserve to live our life that way.  Be strong.  Get help.  Get out.