Did you go to Cybher last weekend? I was one of what seemed like only a handful of people who weren’t there and I was reading my twitter timeline with close scrutiny. It sounded like an exciting event with lots of thought provoking topics being discussed and inspirational people giving talks.
But, as I sat there at home reading my twitter feed and wishing I had been able to attend, I read something that made me stop and realise there are inspirational people all around us, not just at conferences and other events, and even those who are no longer on this earth can spur us on to make a difference. What was it that made me realise this? A simple tweet from one man in homage to his daughter who died six months ago.
If you’re not following @EstellaStar1 on twitter, you really should be. Estella’s story is a heartbreaking one – she was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and sadly, tragically, died eight months later – but she has inspired her parents to fight this terrible condition and ‘smash SMA’ for good. When you have a moment, please do head on over to their Smash SMA blog and take a read about the amazing things that they are involved with (but make sure you have a good stock of tissues ready when you do).
Elsewhere, the G8 summit will be taking place on 18-19 May. “What’s this got to do with health?” I hear you cry. Well, not a lot…until you hear about the work being done by the grassroots and advocacy organisation ONE to stop the malnutrition of millions of children and adults in less developed countries. This year alone, 178 million children – more than twice the number of children in the United States – will reach their third birthday stunted. Their brains and bodies will never fully recover, limiting their chance to learn and grow and this is a direct result of malnourishment. ONE are asking for your voice not your money and, as part of their Let’s Thrive campaign, are asking people to sign their e-petition to get the leaders of the G8 to commit to supporting agriculture plans in developinog countries, ending the cycle of poverty and hunger. I’m proud to be a “ONE Mum” supporting this cause along with Michelle from Mummy from the Heart, Jennifer from BritMums, Alex from Doing It All For Aleyna, Melitsa from Raising Playful Tots, Kate from Kate on Thin Ice and Michelle from The American Resident.
Meanwhile, over at Not Even a Bag of Sugar, we’re being reminded of the importance of skin-to-skin contact (also called kangaroo care) with newborns. In Hold Your Preemie – Kangaroo Care Awareness Day, Kylie recounts how important this sort of contact was for her and her son who was born 13 weeks prematurely and writes that an “estimated 444,000 babies could be saved by a programme of kangaroo care in developing countries.”
On a lighter note, Rhiannon over at A Hell of a Woman has decided to take on the NHS’ Couch to 5K plan (or, as she has called it, the “Grr Argh” challenge!). So, what was her inspiration behind getting fit? To be able to run around with her children? Because her body’s a temple? No, apparently it’s to survive the inevitable zombie apocalypse!
And lastly, a quick reminder to join BritMums and Dr Rob Hicks today between 1pm and 2pm for the #BootsWebMD Twitter chat. It’s an opportunity to share your experiences, and ask questions about, dealing with the most common childhood conditions. Dr Rob will be on hand to dish out advice so don’t forget to join in the party!
I think I’ve probably waffled on enough so now it’s over to you. As always, please link up any of your health-related posts in the linky below so we can all hop on over and take a read.
About Laura
Laura is a seasoned communications professional who has worked with a variety of health organisations over the years. As well as writing the monthly health round-up for BritMums, Laura blogs (and vlogs) at Chez Mummy, where she chronicles her (mis)adventures in parenting and quest for that elusive work/life balance. She's also the creater of Working Parents United, a website to support working mothers and fathers across the UK.
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