8-Year-old Sees Stars for the First Time After His Blindness is Treated With Gene Therapy

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Oct 22, 2020

Wishing on a star is one of the most magical rites of childhood:

“Star light, star bright,
The first star I see tonight—
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.”

But for one little Canadian boy named Sam, that simple activity was beyond his reach. That’s because 8-year-old Sam couldn’t see the stars.

Sam suffers from the rare disorder retinitis pigmentosa, a form of progressive blindness caused by genetic retinal degeneration that results from mutations in the RPE65 gene.

“You lose perception of light,” Dr. Elise Heon, of Sick Kids Hospital, explained to CTV News. “You end up in darkness and [it’s] slowly progressive, it’s relentless, your visual field shrinks and shrinks and shrinks and shrinks.”

Sam’s sight was extremely limited, especially at night. Images most people take for granted—the stars, an airplane streaking across the sky, or even our own shoes—were beyond the scope of his vision. Until recently, there was no effective treatment for his condition.

Now, however, thanks to a new form of gene therapy, many patients, including Sam, are seeing huge improvements in their eyesight. The science behind the protocol is impressive.

After being modified with a healthy copy of the gene, an inactivated virus is injected directly into the retina. (Each eye is injected only once.) The healthy gene then goes to work, enabling cells to produce a protein that converts light into electrical signals, which in turn, facilitates improved vision and prevents further progression of the disease.

The targeted gene therapy protocol, developed in the U.S., was recently green-lit for use in Canada, but with Sam’s sight failing, he and his mom, Sarah Banon, traveled to America last year to get him treatment.

Within a week’s time, Banon began to notice progress and says Sam’s condition has continued to improve over the course of the year since he underwent the procedure.

For the thousands of Canadians at risk of blindness, eight-year-old Sam is a beacon of hope.@CTV_AvisFavaro has the exclusive details on the first Canadian to be treated with gene replacement therapy for a rare form of blindness.

Full story: https://t.co/labGkLOCCM pic.twitter.com/0Ydjc6velV
— CTV National News (@CTVNationalNews) October 15, 2020

She reports her son has gained incredible confidence. He dresses without help. He’s able to see, even when it’s dark, and he no longer requires lights on when it’s cloudy outside.

MORE: In ‘World First,’ Gene Therapy Trial Restores Vision in Patients With Genetic Form of Blindness

“Now he is able to function as a normal child,” she told CTV. “This is a story of hope… A child told ‘it is what it is,’ and now, when he looks up at night, he can see stars.”

And when Sam wishes on those stars, he’ll know in his heart that sometimes, wishes really can come true.

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media…

Bird Sets New Record for Longest Bird Migration – 7,500 Miles Without Making a Single Stop

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Andy Corbley

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Oct 22, 2020

Every time you see a bird, there is a chance you may be looking at the greatest marathon athletes in the world; particularly if you live near mudflats in the U.S. state of Alaska in late-summer, and happen upon a bar-tailed godwit.

These little shorebirds were recently found to travel 7,500 miles (12,000 kilometers) in an eye-watering, lung-busting non-stop flight of 11 days from Alaska to the Firth of Thames near Auckland, New Zealand.

It’s not the longest migration ever—that title goes to the Arctic tern which goes from the Arctic to the Antarctic along the west coast of North and South America—or straight down the Atlantic every year for a total of around 14,000 kilometers.

However, it is the longest non-stop flight known to scientists. Unlike the tern, the godwit weighs a much heavier one-fifth to four-fifths of a pound, and relies on a muscular build much like a modern jet, with aerodynamic features like narrow pointed wings and a sleek body to reduce air drag.

Despite these advantages which allow it to flap its wings nearly uninterrupted for the entire journey, how can a small bird that lives a few years navigate for days over nothing but empty ocean to arrive in New Zealand?

Is it a bird, or is it a plane?

Even though we all learned about it in biology class, or by watching David Attenborough-narrated documentaries, there is no scientific consensus over how birds navigate during their long, sometimes solitary migrations.

CHECK OUT: World’s Rarest Wading Bird is Making a Comeback as Its Population Rises By 30%

Some scientists have shown birds use the sun as orientation, but there is also evidence of migration as a learned skill—one study showing that adult raptors were better at course correcting for wind than juveniles, suggesting that experience comes into play.

Another thought is that some birds may use electromagnetic sensory equipment that allows them to ‘see’ the magnetic field in a way that humans cannot. A region of the brain called “Cluster N”, which together in connection with the eyes, demonstrates substantial neuronal activity during birds’ night-time migration.

Even with the help of a magnetic compass, the record-breaking bar-tailed godwit, known as 4 BBRW, departed from Alaska and passed over the Aleutian Islands in a 224-hour flight without sleep over open ocean with no land markers to use as visual guidance. At one point he faced winds that blew so hard he was being blown off course towards Australia. Amazingly, he managed to correct his flight trajectory.

“They seem to have some capability of knowing where they are on the globe. We can’t really explain it but they seem to have an onboard map,” said Dr Jesse Conklin, from the Global Flyway Network, an international migration monitoring agency, to the Guardian.

“There are other birds that make similar-scale flights of say 10,000km but there are not a whole load of places in the world where it is necessary,” Conklin said. “So it is not necessarily that this is the only bird capable of it—but it is the only bird that needs to do it.”

Along with having an incredible fuel-to-energy ratio, the birds have the ability to shrink their internal organs. This lightens their bodies to make flying easier.

MORE: Birds in San Francisco Started Singing Differently in the Silence of the Pandemic Shutdown

It’s thought the birds’ return journey will begin in March, when they will fly north over the Yellow Sea and pass through Liaoning Province of China before returning home to a northerly latitude.

Tweet the Record-Breaking News to the Birders In Your Life…

7-Year-old Boy Who Was Bullied Opens a Huge Food Pantry, Making His Life All About Positive Energy

By

Judy Cole

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Oct 22, 2020

Cavanaugh bell with boxes collected for charity-cool and dope-released — Cool & Dope

If living well is the best revenge, then Cavanaugh Bell may just be having the best life ever.

After facing bullying at school, rather than internalizing the pain or trying to get even, the spirited 7-year-old decided to channel his energy into something positive instead.

“After I was bullied and I felt a darkness inside of me, I knew I didn’t want other kids to feel the same way I felt,” Bell explained via his GoFundMe page. “So, I asked my mom if she could help me spread love and positivity. And, the more I gave back to my community, the more I wanted to keep doing it.”

Bell lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland with his mom, Llacey Simmons, and their extended family. Even before the bullying incident, the second-grade good samaritan was already doing his part to give back during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially funded by his own savings, Bell started out by assembling and distributing care packages filled with food and toiletries for his elderly neighbors. Over time, the popular project snowballed. With contributions pouring in, he and his mom launched a food pantry staged in space donated by a local warehouse.

In the face of negativity at school, Bell’s determination to remain positive only became stronger. Hoping to expand his message of compassion beyond the confines of his own community, Bell set out to find a place where residents would benefit most from his message of hope.

Spurred by memories of a 2018 Mount Rushmore road trip he’d taken with his mom that led them through South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, he knew he’d found his answer.

“My mom explained to me that people live on the reservation, and some didn’t have what they needed to survive,” Bell told the Washington Post. “Some of the houses didn’t have electricity or running water.”

With a steady stream of in-person donations, as well as contributions from his GoFundMe and Amazon Wish List pages, Bell and his mom have managed to amass enough essential supplies to fill a 53-foot semi-truck—twice.

🙌🏾 WE DID IT AGAIN 🙌🏾 You guys are SO amazing!!!!! Last Tuesday we filled ANOTHER 53 FOOT TRAILER to take to the Pine Ridge Reservation and it was FULL of essential winter supplies, food, and cleaning supplies for them. A BIG thank you to each and every one of you who donated! pic.twitter.com/xsBhaZ5tMp
— Cool & Dope (@cooldopeliving) September 26, 2020

His mom used some of the donated funds to hire a driver. She also reached out to Alice Phelps, the director of First Families Now, a nonprofit humanitarian organization whose focus is bettering the lives of families and children on the reservation, to apprise her of her son’s plans.

“He believes he can save the world, and I believe him. He just carries that, ‘Well, no problem, let’s do it,’ and he doesn’t see anything as a challenge, so I love that innocence about him,” Phelps told People.

CHECK OUT: Tennessee Teen Raises Thousands of Dollars For Food Banks By Making and Selling His Own Vanilla – WATCH

The first shipment that went out in July was loaded with nonperishable food and cleaning supplies, as well as shoes, clothing, and diapers. With the cold weather approaching, the second shipment in September also included coats and blankets.

“It’s just a blessing to be helping them,” said Bell, whose heritage is in part Native American. “I’m trying to make sure they have what they need to survive, cause that’s their only land and… they’re [like] my family.”

In addition to his humanitarian aid work, Bell has also launched his own nonprofit, Cool & Dope (an acronym that stands for “considering others’ obstacles in life and dish out positive energy”). The organization’s mission is to combat bullying and spread positivity through acts of kindness.

MORE: 5-Year-old Sends Baby Yoda Mascot to Keep California Firefighters Company

Bell says he hopes to see bullying totally eradicated by his 18th birthday—ten years from now. While 2030 may be a decade away, with Bell’s pluck and persistence, he just might reach his goal—and continue to inspire others and live his best life in the process.

SHARE the Cool & Dope Vibes and Send This Story to Friends on Social Media…

“Smile—it increases your face value.” – Dolly Parton

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Oct 22, 2020

Quote of the Day: “Smile—it increases your face value.” – Dolly Parton

Photo: by Eye for Ebony

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

This Drive-Thru Haunted House in Japan is Bloody Scary–But They Wash Your Car After Terror is Over (WATCH)

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Good News Network

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Oct 21, 2020

drive in car haunted-house-japan-copyright-KOWAGARASETAI — KOWAGARASETAI

It’s safe to say the drive-thru car wash experience is similar around the world: You pay your money, make sure all the windows are closed so you don’t get soaked, then let brushes and water jets do their thing until the cycle is finished and you can drive away in your sparklingly clean vehicle.

That’s not quite how things are working at this ghoulish Tokyo pop-up experience.

At Kowagarasetai Obakeyashiki, drive into the darkness of a covered downtown parking garage, and expect to wail and howl as blood lashes the windows, haunted zombies scratch at the doors, and terrifying ghouls rock the car.

Don’t worry: Once you’ve lived through the ‘stuck in a vehicle in a zombie apocalypse’ experience, your car will be thoroughly sterilized and wiped clean.

You can even place your order for an “extra bloody” experience—a $9 add-on.

For haunted house and horror event production company Kowagarasetai–aka the “the Scaredy Squad”–the idea of doing a haunted car wash actually came about because of the pandemic.

“With the virus, I knew there would be no way we could have a traditional haunted house, with all that screaming in a small confined space,” founder Kenta Iwana told CNN Travel. “When I read that drive-through theaters were making a comeback, it was my ‘aha’ moment.”

With that spark, Iwana and the actors have created a thrillingly disturbing experience.

If you aren’t in the Japanese capital, or if you don’t have $75 to spend on going through the zombie wringer right now, just watch the digital version of the experience. Lights out, let’s go.

(PRESS play on the ghoulish AFP video below.)

HAUNT Your Friends With This Awesome Experience on Social Media….

Performing Acts of Kindness Can Boost Both Physical Health and Happiness Levels, Study Finds

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Good News Network

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Oct 21, 2020

touch kindness helping hands-pubdomain-Toa Heftiba — Toa Heftiba

Performing acts of kindness and helping other people can be good for people’s health and well-being.

That’s according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

But not all good-hearted behavior is equally beneficial to the giver. The strength of the link depends on many factors, including the type of kindness, the definition of well-being, and the giver’s age, gender, and other demographic factors.

“Prosocial behavior—altruism, cooperation, trust, and compassion—are all necessary ingredients of a harmonious and well-functioning society,” said lead author Bryant P.H. Hui, PhD, a research assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong. “It is part of the shared culture of humankind, and our analysis shows that it also contributes to mental and physical health.”

Previous studies have suggested that people who engage in more prosocial behavior are happier and have better mental and physical health than those who don’t spend as much time helping others.

However, not all studies have found evidence for that link, and the strength of the connection varies widely in the research literature.

To better understand what drives that variation, Hui and his colleagues performed a meta-analysis of 201 independent studies, comprising 198,213 total participants, that looked at the connection between prosocial behavior and well-being.

Overall, they found that there was a modest link between the two. Although the effect size was small, it is still meaningful, according to Hui, given how many people perform acts of kindness every day.

“More than a quarter of Americans volunteer, for example,” Hui said. “A modest effect size can still have a significant impact at a societal level when many people are participating in the behavior.”

Digging deeper into the research, published in Psychological Bulletin, Hui and his colleagues found that random acts of kindness, such as helping an older neighbor carry groceries, were more strongly associated with overall well-being than formal prosocial behavior, such as scheduled volunteering for a charity.

CHECK OUT: How Traffic Jams Show How We Are All Connected Through the Science of Kindness

That may be because informal helping is more casual and spontaneous and may more easily lead to forming social connections, according to Hui.

Informal giving is also more varied and less likely to become stale or monotonous, he said.

The researchers also found a stronger link between kindness and what is known as eudaimonic well-being (which focuses on self-actualization, realizing one’s potential and finding meaning in life), than between kindness and hedonic well-being (which refers to happiness and positive feelings).

The effects varied by age, according to Hui, who began this research at the University of Cambridge. Younger givers reported higher levels of overall well-being, eudaimonic well-being, and psychological functioning, while older givers reported higher levels of physical health.

READ: People Try to Do Right by Each Other—No Matter the Motivation, Says New Scientific Study

Also, women showed stronger relationships between prosociality and several measures of well-being compared with men—perhaps because women are stereotypically expected to be more caring and giving, and thus derive a stronger sense of good feelings for acting in accordance with those social norms, according to the study.

Finally, the researchers found that studies that were specifically designed to measure the connection between prosociality and well-being showed a stronger link between the two than studies that analyzed data from other large surveys not specifically designed to study the topic.

Researchers might also examine whether more prosociality is always a good thing, or whether there is an “ideal level” of prosociality beyond which too much kindness and giving become detrimental to the giver, according to Hui.

MORE: Instead of ‘We Are What We Eat,’ the Science of Kindness Says ‘We Are What We See’ in Daily Life

This all sounds like fascinating research, and we’re looking forward to sharing future stories about what just the “perfect” amount of kindness might be.

BE KIND And Share the Results of This Fascinating Study With Friends…

This Austin Restaurant is Making the Wittiest Pandemic Signs Anywhere

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Good News Network

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Oct 21, 2020

A restaurant that’s famous for its hilarious signs has been pulling out all the stops to bring laughs in the era of COVID-19.

Austin-based restaurant El Arroyo started making comic signs in the early 80s, and they’ve been perfecting the art ever since.

When the pandemic reached the States’ shores, and bars and restaurants began shuttering across the country back in spring, the team at the popular Texas restaurant decided that it was time to put even more effort into bringing comic relief to others.

“The signs bring a lot of laughter,” said Laura Schulte, 27, social media manger for the Mexican eatery.

“It’s a running joke that people who live in Austin are a bit hippy, so one of my favorite signs is: “Last queso stop before a load of yoga studios.

“That sums us up pretty well.”

Are you ready for a run-down of some of El Arroyo’s wittiest pandemic signs? Let us know your favorites.

Surely you’ve had this thought over the past few months?

¡Good question!

If only this trick applied to more than just smart phones…

We’ve all been there, no?

Silver linings…

It really doesn’t bear thinking about…

Excuse us while we wipe a nostalgic tear from our eye…

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Myanmar Eradicates Disease That Caused Blindness in 4% of Its People—The 12th Nation To Do So

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Good News Network

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Oct 21, 2020

trachoma-myanmar-copyright-WHO — - credit, World Health Organization ©

Though trachoma is preventable, blindness from trachoma is irreversible–and it continues to be one of the leading causes of blindness globally, affecting 1.9 million people around the world.

In good news from Myanmar, the World Health Organization has validated that the disease has been eliminated from the country: This is extra impressive, because in 2005, trachoma was responsible for 4% of all cases of blindness there.

The nation joins Nepal in the WHO South-East Asia Region and 12 countries globally to achieve this feat.

“Myanmar’s multi-pronged approach promoting access to good hygiene infrastructure and clean water, strengthening eye care system, and complete community buy-in have enabled the country ensure that people of all ages can now look towards a trachoma-free future,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia Region, said in a statement.

How did this elimination get off the ground? In 1964, the Ministry of Health and Sports in Myanmar had initiated a trachoma control project with support from WHO and UNICEF.

The community-based interventions to eliminate the disease consisted of surgical treatment, topical antibiotic treatment and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and health education promoting behavior change to decrease transmission. The program further expanded to include accessible interventions in rural areas.

Since 2018, the prevalence of trachoma has gone down to a mere 0.008% of blindness within the population–meaning trachoma is no longer a public health problem.

In a virtual Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia Region celebrating public health wins, Sri Lanka was also felicitated for eliminations of rubella and mother-to-child transmission of HIV and Syphilis, and Maldives was praised for eliminating rubella.

Home to a quarter of the world’s population, the Region has eight flagship priority programs—notable ones include eliminating measles and rubella by 2023; preventing and controlling noncommunicable diseases through multisectoral policies and plans; accelerating a reduction of maternal, neonatal, and under five mortality; further strengthening national capacity for preventing and combating antimicrobial resistance; scaling-up capacity development in emergency risk management in countries; finishing the task of eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), and accelerating efforts to end TB by 2030.

MORE: Scientists Use Electrode Implants to Help Blind People ‘See’ Shapes and Letters—All Without Using Their Eyes

The Region has been making remarkable progress around these flagships and beyond. Here at GNN, we’re looking forward to continuing to share more public health wins from South-East Asia.

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“A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Oct 21, 2020

Quote of the Day: “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Photo: by __ drz __

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

This Week’s Inspiring Horoscopes From Rob Brezsny’s ‘Free Will Astrology’

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Good News Network

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Oct 21, 2020

We’ve partnered with our friend Rob Brezsny, who for years has championed a positive approach to life through astrology. His weekly wisdom is sure to enlighten your thinking and motivate your mood with ‘PROnoia’ instead of paranoia. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column that appears in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week beginning October 21, 2020
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
“I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity,” said fashion writer Diana Vreeland. Here’s how I interpret that: People who enjoy looking their best and expressing their unique beauty may do so out of a desire to share their gifts with the world. Their motivation might be artistry and generosity, not self-centeredness. In accordance with cosmic potentials, Scorpio, I invite you to elude the temptations of narcissism as you explore benevolent forms of vanity.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Yes, do let people see you sweat. At least for now, be forthright and revelatory. Let people witness your secret fire, your fierce tang, your salty tears, and your unhealed wounds. Hold nothing back as you give what you haven’t been able to give before. Be gleefully expressive as you unveil every truth, every question, every buried joy. Don’t be crude and insensitive, of course. Be as elegant and respectful as possible. But make it your priority to experiment with sacred vulnerability. Find out how far you can safely go as you strip away the disguises that have kept you out of touch with your full power.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Between 2008 and 2017, Southern California had two sizable earthquakes: 5.5 and 5.1 on the Richter scale. But during the same period, the area had 1.8 million small quakes that were mostly too mild to be felt. The ground beneath the feet of the local people was shaking at the rate of once every three minutes. Metaphorically speaking, Capricorn, you’re now in a phase that resembles the mild shakes. There’s a lot of action going on beneath the surface, although not much of it is obvious. I think this is a good thing. The changes you’re shepherding are proceeding at a safe, gradual, well-integrated pace.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
No American woman was allowed to earn a medical degree and practice as a physician until Aquarian-born Elizabeth Blackwell did it in 1849. It was an almost impossible feat, since the all-male college she attended undermined her mercilessly. Once she began her career a doctor, she constantly had to outwit men who made it difficult for her. Nevertheless, she persisted. Eventually, she helped create a medical school for women in England and made it possible for 476 women to practice medicine there. I propose that we make her your patron saint for now. May she inspire you to redouble your diligent pursuit of your big dream. Here’s your motto: “Nevertheless, I’m persisting.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Henry David Thoreau wrote, “I fear my expression may not be extravagant enough, may not wander far enough beyond the narrow limit of my daily experience, so as to be adequate to the truth of which I have been convinced.” You’ll be wise to have a similar fear, Pisces. According to my analysis, you can generate good fortune for yourself by transcending what you already know and think. Life is conspiring to nudge you and coax you into seeking experiences that will expand your understanding of everything. Take advantage of this opportunity to blow your own mind!

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“I’ve been told that nobody sings the word ‘hunger’ like I do,” testified Aries chanteuse Billie Holiday. She wasn’t suggesting that she had a stylish way of crooning about fine dining. Rather, she meant “hunger” in the sense of the longing for life’s poignant richness. Her genius-level ability to express such beauty was due in part to her skillful vocal technique, but also because she was a master of cultivating soulful emotions. Your assignment in the coming weeks, Aries, is to refine and deepen your own hunger.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Author Renata Adler expresses my own feelings when she writes, “Hardly anyone about whom I deeply care resembles anyone else I have ever met, or heard of, or read about in literature.” I bet if you’re honest, Taurus, you would say the same. It’s almost certainly the case that the people you regard as worthy of your love and interest are absolutely unique. In the sense that there are no other characters like them in the world, they are superstars and prodigies. I bring this to your attention because now is an excellent time to fully express your appreciation for their one-of-a-kind beauty—to honor and celebrate them for their entertainment value and precious influence and unparalleled blessings.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
“If you cannot find an element of humor in something, you’re not taking it seriously enough,” writes author Ilyas Kassam. That’s a key thought for you to keep in mind during the coming weeks. Levity and joking will be necessities, not luxuries. Fun and amusement will be essential ingredients in the quest to make good decisions. You can’t afford to be solemn and stern, because allowing those states to dominate you would diminish your intelligence. Being playful—even in the face of challenges—will ensure your ultimate success.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
I’m hoping the horoscopes I wrote for you in late August helped propel you into a higher level of commitment to the art of transformation. In any case, I suspect that you will have the chance, in the coming weeks, to go even further in your mastery of that art. To inspire you in your efforts, I’ll encourage you to at least temporarily adopt one or more of the nicknames in the following list: 1. Flux Luster 2. Fateful Fluctuator 3. Shift Virtuoso 4. Flow Maestro 5. Alteration Adept 6. Change Arranger 7. Mutability Savant 8. Transition Connoisseur.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
“When one is a stranger to oneself, then one is estranged from others, too,” wrote author Anne Morrow Lindbergh. “If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others. Only when one is connected to one’s own core, is one connected to others.” In bringing these thoughts to your attention, Leo, I don’t mean to imply that you are out of touch with your deep self. Not at all. But in my view, all of us can benefit from getting into ever-closer communion with our deep selves. In the coming weeks, you especially need to work on that—and are likely to have extra success in doing so.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
My cosmic tipsters told me that you will be even smarter than usual in the coming weeks. As I scoured the heavenly maps, I detected signs that you have the potential to be a skilled code-cracker, riddle-decipherer, and solver of knotty problems and tricky dilemmas. That’s why I suggest you express gratitude to your beautiful brain, Virgo. Sing it sweet songs and tell it how much you love it and find out which foods you can eat to strengthen it even more. Now read Diane Ackerman’s description of the brain: “that shiny mound of being, that mouse-gray parliament of cells, that dream factory, that petit tyrant inside a ball of bone, that huddle of neurons calling all the plays, that little everywhere, that fickle pleasuredome.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Libran author Ursula K. Le Guin said that we don’t just naturally know how to create our destinies. It takes research and hard work. “All of us have to learn how to invent our lives, make them up, imagine them,” she wrote. “We need to be taught these skills; we need guides to show us how. If we don’t, our lives get made up for us by other people.” I bring this to your attention, Libra, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time to upgrade and refine your mastery of these essential powers. What can you do to enhance your capacity to invent your life? Which teachers and information sources might be helpful?

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com –CC license)

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14-Year-Old Girl Wins $25,000 For a Scientific Breakthrough That Could Lead to COVID-19 Cure

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Good News Network

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Oct 20, 2020

Anika Chebrolu-release-3M — 3M/Discovery Education

With the impact of the pandemic continuing to spread far and wide, people around the world are waiting for news on a possible treatment for the virus.

There’s good news on that front, as a 14-year-old girl from Texas has discovered a molecule that can selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2.

Binding and inhibiting this viral protein would potentially stop the virus entry into the cell, creating a viable drug target.

For her breakthrough, eighth grader Anika Chebrolu has been named the winner of the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge—America’s premier middle school science competition.

As part of her research, Frisco’s Anika screened millions of small molecules for drug-likeness properties, ADMET properties, and binding affinities against the spike protein using numerous software tools.

The one molecule with the best pharmacological and biological activity towards the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was chosen as the lead molecule that can be a potential drug for the effective treatment of COVID-19.

READ: Tennessee High School Students Collect 10K Face Masks For Those in Need, Sharing Advice For Other Youth

According to a statement, she and the nine other finalists have spent the past few months working with a 3M scientist who acted as mentor and worked one-on-one to transform an idea from concept to physical prototype.

Anika wasn’t initially planning on studying a coronavirus. After being stricken with a bad bout of flu last year, she was actually hoping to help find a cure for influenza.

But then COVID-19 hit the globe, and she knew just what to focus her attention on.

For her work looking at spike proteins, Anika can now proudly call herself “America’s Top Young Scientist.” On top of a $25,000 gift for her award-winning work, she’s also going to receive a special destination trip.

MORE: New Mexico Girl Wins $250,000 Top Prize in Teen Science Fair For Inventing Tool That Could Prevent Starvation in Africa

For this STEM hero, however, it’s not about the awards or the trips. “Science is the basis of life and the entire universe and we have a long way to go understand it fully,” she told Yahoo.

CHECK OUT: Nigerian-Irish Teens Develop a Dementia App for Sufferers Coping With Lockdown–and It’s Won Awards

And this is just the beginning of Anika’s COVID-19 work. She explained, “how I develop this molecule further with the help of virologists and drug development specialists will determine the success of these efforts.”

Here’s at GNN, we’re wishing the Texas teen every success in her endeavors.

(WATCH Anika explain her fascinating research in the video below.)

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This 10-Year-Old Walked 1,700 Miles With His Dad from Italy to England For a Hug With Grandma

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Judy Cole

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Oct 20, 2020

Visiting loved ones during the pandemic has become a daunting task.

Even so, when 10-year-old Romeo Cox decided what he wanted more than anything else was a hug from his 77-year-old grandmother, he didn’t let a few little bumps in the road—like quarantine, or that she was 1,700 miles away and there were no flights from his new home in Sicily to his native U.K.—stop him from making the journey.

“I hadn’t seen Granny for a year and a half, so [during lockdown] I planned in secret to go see her,” he said in an interview with The Times of London.

Romeo’s parents took some convincing, but Romeo finally talked them into letting him make the trip. “I asked my parents and they said no more than 50 times,” he told The Daily Mail.

“Eventually they agreed—provided we planned everything was Covid-safe.”

With his folks’ blessing, Romeo turned his plans into action. “I drew a map. I would walk and take boats and do it naturally to help the planet,” he told the Times. “And I’d take Dad. It would be handy to have an adult.”

Handy indeed, since Romeo’s father, 46-year-old Phil Cox, is a veteran journalist and filmmaker whose first-hand experience covering war zones gave him invaluable knowledge about making your way in less than ideal conditions.

Of course, Romeo isn’t the only relative to prove when you’re determined to spend quality time with your loved ones, where there’s a will, there’s a way. This past July, intrepid pandemic-stranded sailor Juan Manuel Ballestero sailed solo 5,600 miles across the Atlantic from Portugal to Argentina so he could be reunited with his 90-year-old dad for Father’s Day.

Romeo and Phil set off on their journey on June 20. The pair trekked across Italy, Switzerland, and France.

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A post shared by Romeo Cox (@romeos_big_journey_home) on Aug 16, 2020 at 3:25am PDT

In the course of their travels, the duo spent many nights under the stars.

They were also forced to fend off wild dogs, got lost a time or two, suffered sore feet, befriended a wild donkey, and took some time to volunteer at a refugee camp in Northern Calais, but no matter how unusual or adverse the conditions, they just kept going.

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A post shared by Romeo Cox (@romeos_big_journey_home) on Jul 31, 2020 at 4:35am PDT

That’s because, in addition to seeing his beloved grandmother, Romeo had another compelling reason to complete his mission—raising money to help refugee children.

As the new kid in town when his family moved to Palermo, Romeo was taken under the wing of some peers who’d already learned the ropes. Romeo recounted the story of his best bud, Randolph, whose family was often forced to march mile after mile as they made their way from Ghana to Italy.

MORE: Greek Athlete Carries Disabled Woman Up Mount Olympus, Fulfilling Her Lifelong Dream

“He walked even further than I have on this trip, but without food and water and in fear. He was risking his life,” Romeo told Metro News. “He helped me when I came to Sicily, and so I wanted to help him and other vulnerable children in return.”

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A post shared by Romeo Cox (@romeos_big_journey_home) on Jun 24, 2020 at 12:32pm PDT

Having raised close to £14,000 in donations for the Refugee Education Across Conflicts Trust, Romeo is well within sight of his £15,000 goal.

On September 21, father and son arrived in London’s Trafalgar Square where they spent a mandatory two weeks in isolation prior to being allowed to make the final leg of the journey to Grandma Rosemary’s home. “I’m feeling tired now—like an old 100-year-old man,” Romeo quipped to Metro News, “but it was so fun.”

With his grandmother’s house finally in sight, Romeo broke into a joyful run that ended in the embrace he’d so longed for.

It was difficult at first for his grandmother to wrap her head around everything Romeo had accomplished en route to their rendezvous. “I didn’t believe my grandson’s incredible journey at first,” she admitted.

CHECK OUT: Surprising Percentage of People Feel Happier After Spontaneous Decisions

But more than anything else, her heart was filled with love and gratitude. “Children can inspire us and lift us all up. On behalf of all the grannies in all the world, I want to thank Romeo—as well and hug him and kiss him lots.”

(WATCH the moment when Romeo runs up delightedly to his grandmother in the Daily Mail video below.)

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Wild Persian Leopards Make a Roaring Comeback in Russia’s Mountains

By

Andy Corbley

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Oct 20, 2020

Persian-Leopard-Russia-COPYRIGHT-WWF-Photographer-Daniel_Manganellli — Copyright WWF/David Manganelli

Reprinted with permission from World at Large, a news website of nature, politics, science, health, and travel.

A pair of Persian leopards, a species that numbers less than 50 individuals in the Russian Federation, have been released as part of a WWF captive breeding program to try and revitalize a declining species.

Kodor (male) and Laba (female) were born and brought up in a special leopard breeding and training center in Sochi National Park, which was established in the Caucasus Mountains back in 2009.

They were released as adults, having learned indepedence, hunting skills, and socialization within the safety of captivity to ensure they stand a chance at surviving long enough to help the species recover.

“Kodor and Laba successfully passed all the exams, so we have no doubt that they will adapt perfectly to the natural environment. Taking into account that two males (Akhun and Artek) are already living on the territory of the Caucasus Reserve, and another one was released today, we hope that this year a pair can be formed that will bring the first kittens born in the wild,” said Dmitriy Gorshkov, Director of WWF-Russia.

This is the organization’s third successful reintroduction of leopards into the Caucasus, but it was a record that wouldn’t last long, as merely five days later, on August 25th, two more charismatic felines lept from wooden cages into the Russian wilderness.

Gorshkov spoke beautifully regarding the release of Baksan (male) and (Agura) and what it means to the natural heritage of the Caucasus as well as to the Russian culture.

“We not only return two fabulous graceful cats, but we are bringing back the symbol of the Caucasus. Leopards are the ones to bring together a lot of people from across the country and unite them with one aim. This release and the reintroduction program itself shows the world that humanity has realized the mistakes of the past and is ready to fix them,” he said at the release.

The symbol of the Caucasus

The four leopards, which when combined with another three who were released in 2016—the first as part of the Sochi reintroduction program, and joined by another solitary female in 2018, may have increased the number of leopards in the biosphere of the famous mountain range by 20%.

Ecologists working on the program note that the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve is ideal leopard habitat that also represents one of the largest stretches of unbroken forest in Russia.

Once widespread across almost all of Asia, Eurasia, and Africa, the leopard, a secretive and wide-ranging cat, has declined considerably.

They possess all the traits that make it difficult for predators to survive in the Anthropocene, including long-term pregnancies and childhood characterized by small litter numbers and long periods of time spent dependent entirely on the mother.

MORE: First Scientifically Confirmed Images in 100 Years: The Awe-Inspiring, Elusive Black Leopard

They also require huge tracts of territory, plenty of shelter in forests or mountains, and plentiful species of big game to prey on.

Despite the leopard sitting in the Acacia tree being one of the quintessential images of the African savannah, there’s a very large stronghold of leopards in northeast and northwest Iran, upon and beyond the Zagros and Alborz Mountains.

The subspecies is known as panthera pardus tulliana, meaning Anatolian or Turkish leopard, though it may actually be extinct in Turkey.

Primary drivers of the animal’s decline into endangered status on the IUCN Red List has been reduction in habitat and poaching due to its habit of livestock hunting.

CHECK OUT: Caring Conservation Programs Have Prevented At Least 48 Animal Extinctions, Says Study

This unfortunate but inevitable conflict between predator and domesticated animal has meant that Russian wildlife agencies have to take into account shepherds and farmers when drafting reintroduction plans.

“WWF-Russia conducts systematic and regular work with the locals, telling them about the Leopard Reintroduction Program, rules of behavior when encountering predators, safe cattle grazing, etc.” says Valeriy Shmunk, Director of Russian Caucasus Ecoregional Office WWF-Russia. “This is a complex work aimed at forming a positive attitude to the leopard, which will allow people and wild cats to live in peace and harmony.”

READ: With No Male Northern White Rhinos Left, 10 Viable Eggs Offer Hope For the Species Through Embryo Transfer

With many leopard populations existing in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen, the faster that Russia can restore her population of p. pardus tulliana, the greater the chance the species will survive.

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Ikea to Buy Back Used Furniture Worldwide in Recycling Push For Black Friday

By

Andy Corbley

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Oct 20, 2020

One might expect local entrepreneurs to be the ones who might open a second-hand furniture store, not the world’s largest furniture chain.

Swedish giant Ikea will buy back your old Ikea furniture provided it’s in good condition, by offering vouchers up to 50% of the original value.

The deal, meant to stimulate some circular economy buying during the upcoming Black Friday, a veritable feast day for consumers, will run in 27 countries.

“By making sustainable living more simple and accessible, Ikea hopes that the initiative will help its customers take a stand against excessive consumption this Black Friday and in the years to come,” it said in reference to 27 November, when lots of retailers offer discounts on their products.

Only non-upholstered items like chairs, tables, and bookshelves are eligible for return and a simple price/quality structure is applied to measure value, with “like new” items being worth 50%, and “good” items worth 40%, with further evidence of use decreasing the price further.

The plan is to eventually flip all this old furniture, with each Ikea store having a place where people can be restored second-hand products if they so desire.

Ikea has stated that anything which cannot be sold will be recycled, and that anyone looking to turn in their old furniture should take it to their local Ikea location fully assembled.

MORE: After Rediscovering Warehouse Treasure Trove of 50,000 Face Masks, IKEA Donates Them All to Hospital

Ever the expansionist, the used furniture venture comes alongside last month’s announcement that the group, which reported sales of around 40 billion in the first 8 months of 2020, will be opening 50 new locations across the world this year.

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Instead of Sleep Meds, Special Lighting Helps Nursing Home Residents Get Better Sleep, Study Finds

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Good News Network

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Oct 20, 2020

Nursing home residents tend to fall asleep at all hours of the day, and during the night, their sleep may be interrupted by periods of wakefulness.

It’s a vicious cycle of fragmented sleep that can place residents at risk for poor health outcomes, including depression and increased frailty, said Rosa Baier, an associate professor of the practice in health services, policy, and practice who directs the Center for Long-Term Care Quality & Innovation at the Brown University School of Public Health.

But Baier and a team of colleagues identified an innovative way to cut in half the number of sleep disturbances experienced by residents in one California nursing home—and it didn’t involve prescribing sleeping pills.

Instead, the facility installed interior lighting fixtures that change color and intensity over the course of the day and night.

“I think it’s pretty novel,” Baier said of the tuned lighting solution, which mimics natural light occurring during a 24-hour day. “The technology continues to evolve, and so one of the reasons we wanted to study these lights was that there hadn’t been research done on this kind of lighting.”

MORE: Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplements Are Good for Health, Benefitting Hair, Skin, Joints, and Muscles

Baier led a team of seven researchers who studied the use of tuned LED lighting at ACC Care Center, a 99-bed nursing home in Sacramento, California, participating in a pilot lighting installation by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and the U.S. Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

The team’s results, published in Seniors Housing and Care Journal earlier this month, established preliminary data that can be used as providers in the long-term care industry consider the adoption of tuned lighting in other facilities.

Prior research had found that nursing home residents likely receive too little light during the day and too much at night. So the researchers randomly assigned corridors where a total of 63 long-term care residents experienced either tuned or static lighting conditions for two months, then switched the corridors to the other lighting.

The tuned lighting brightened corridor lighting in the day and dimmed it during the night. The static condition mimicked the fluorescent lighting in place at the facility prior to installation of the tunable fixtures. The study spanned the period of December 2018 through March 2019.

LOOK: Nursing Home Residents With Dementia Enjoy Very Special Guest When Visits Are Restricted: A Miniature Horse

35 of the 63 residents had been diagnosed with dementia, which is associated with conditions that include delusions, hallucinations, depression, agitation, anxiety, disinhibition, irritability, and wandering. The mean age of residents in the study was 88.3 years old and 71% of them were women.

The study found that, on average, the residents experienced 3.6 nighttime sleep disturbances with static lighting compared to 1.8 with tuned lighting.

Baier said the results weren’t wholly surprising given the research team hypothesized the intervention would have a positive effect on sleep.

“We do know that there is a relationship between exposure to natural light and circadian rhythm, and circadian rhythm is important for healthy sleep,” Baier said. “It’s very reasonable to think that this might be a particular problem in this setting and something that we could address through environmental practices.”

The study suggested that improving the sleep of even a few residents can have a positive effect on roommates and those in nearby rooms. Many of the residents in the study share rooms of two to as many as four people.

Other research has demonstrated that the sleep habits of roommates can often determine whether a resident has a good night’s sleep or not.

Tuned lighting systems first appeared on the market in 2014. They are more expensive than static fixtures because they have more than one color of LED chip inside, allowing for the mixing of warm and cool white. But the cost has decreased as sales volume has increased, according to study co-author Naomi Miller, senior lighting research scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Portland, Oregon.

CHECK OUT: Model Village for Alzheimer’s Patients in France Makes Residents Feel Like They’re Still Independent

Nursing homes first turned to these systems primarily for their energy savings feature. But Baier and her colleagues consider them a low-risk intervention to improve sleep and one that the long-term care industry should strongly consider at a time when nursing homes are shifting staff time and resources to contend with the coronavirus pandemic.

“People are prone to focus on the negative aspects of nursing homes, but the majority of people who I’ve encountered are really caring individuals and are doing some very innovative practices,” Baier said. “This is an example of a facility that’s very engaged and very proactive.”

Reprinted from Brown University

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“Every moment of one’s existence, one is growing into more or retreating into less. One is always living a little more or dying a little bit.” – Norman Mailer

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Oct 20, 2020

coccoon and monarch butterfly-pubdomain-Suzanne D Williams — Suzanne D. Williams

Quote of the Day: “Every moment of one’s existence, one is growing into more or retreating into less. One is always living a little more or dying a little bit.” – Norman Mailer

Photo: by Suzanne D. Williams

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Exercise in the Morning May Stave Off Cancer, As Opposed to Later in the Day, New Study Says

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Good News Network

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Oct 19, 2020

women cyclists-bicycles-sport-friends-pubdomain-Coen van den Broek — Coen Van Der Broke

The time of day we exercise could affect the risk of cancer, according to a new controlled study conducted with almost 3,000 Spanish people.

Studies have shown that one potential cause of cancer is circadian disruption, the misalignment of environmental cues—such as light and when you eat—and the internal, biological circadian rhythms.

It is established that regular physical activity throughout your lifetime can reduce cancer risk, but this protective effect could be the most beneficial when physical activity is done in the morning, according to a recent study coordinated by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), together with the Department of Epidemiology at the Medical University of Vienna.

Most studies on circadian disruption and cancer risk focused on night shift work. Recent studies suggest that exposure to light at night and late food intake may play a role in cancer risk. However, to date it remained unknown if the timing of physical activity could influence cancer risk due to circadian disruption.

To address this question, the researchers examined the effect of timing of recreational physical activity on breast and prostate cancer risk in a population-based case control study.

They hypothesized that the beneficial effect of the physical activity in reducing cancer risk could be stronger when done in the morning. They based their hypothesis on the results of an experimental study which showed that physical activity in the afternoon and in the evening can slow melatonin production, a hormone produced mainly during the night and with well-known anti-cancer properties.

“The timing of physical activity obviously has an effect upon the rhythm of sex hormones and melatonin – as well as on food metabolism,” said study co-ordinator Dr Manolis Kogevinas, of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health. “That might explain our results.”

The analysis included 2,795 participants of the multicase-control MCC study in Spain. The researchers found that the beneficial effect of the physical activity to reduce breast and prostate cancer risk was stronger when the activity was regularly done in the morning (8-10 am), with “results unchanged when considering the most strenuous physical activity timing.”

Effects differed when considering individual differences in activity and alertness in the morning and evening. Early morning activity (8-10 am) seemed especially protective for night owls, people who generally prefer to be active towards the evening, and whose melatonin production might be slowed.

In their paper, which was published in the International Journal of Cancer, the epidemiologists discuss how physical activity may influence human circadian rhythms and biological mechanisms, like altering of melatonin and sex hormone production, nutrient metabolis etc.

MORE: Simple New Blood Test For Prostate Cancer Determines Presence and Stage of Cancer With 99% Accuracy

Overall the findings of this study indicate that “time of the day of physical activity is an important aspect that may potentiate the protective effect of physical activity on cancer risk”, commented Manolis Kogevinas, Scientific Director of the Severo Ochoa Distinction at ISGlobal and coordinator of the study.

READ: Walking, Cycling, or Taking Train to Work Instead of Driving Associated With Lower Risk of Death and Illness

“These results, if confirmed, may improve current physical activity recommendations for cancer prevention. Clear is that everyone can reduce his/her cancer risk simply by being moderately physically active for at least 150 minutes each week”, he added.

Source: Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)

This Non-Profit is Hard at Work Designing New Forests to Cure California’s Wildfire Curse

By

Andy Corbley

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Oct 19, 2020

trees forest nature-pubdomain-Casey Horner — Casey Gorner

After recent devastating fires in California, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is teaming up with a specialist non-profit forest management organization to re-engineer the typical Californian forest to be more fire resistant.

For decades in California, forest restoration consisted of planting pine trees like rows of cabbages. The theory behind it was that sunlight would be especially limited on the forest floor, preventing a flood of grass shrubs and weeds from taking over the ground in between the trees.

This “Pines in Lines” strategy also created the perfect forest as far as fires were concerned, as it allowed the fires enough fuel to reach the canopies, and places to spread in every direction.

American Forests, the non-profit in question, works hard to replant forests in a way that’s much more like how many forests existed before the arrival of Europeans—namely clumps of different kinds of trees, not just pines, spaced far enough apart to prevent wildfires from spreading.

This also protects from drought, as the small clumps, excluded from the company of other trees by open ground, have a greater monopoly on the supply of water that falls on them.

American Forests has climate-informed projects going in the San Bernardino Mountains, as well as around the towns of Paradise and Concow which the Camp Fire destroyed, in collaboration with the BLM, Butte County Fire Safe Council, and the Butte County Resource Conservation District which includes both public and private lands.

In San Bernardino, the organization is providing 75,000 trees in 2020 and 2021 to restore fire-damaged forests in the mountains surrounding Los Angeles, and 120,000 trees over the next two years in the burn scar of the 2018 Camp Fire.

Unnatural Selection

Along with providing habitat for California’s rich diversity of wildlife, forests also help to absorb and sequester CO2, and the loss of over four million acres of forests in the last three years, by way of fire no less, goes a long way towards damaging California’s ability to meet CO2 reduction targets, some of which it already made back in 2016.

CHECK OUT: After Talking to Firefighters, a Startup Created a Tool That Maps Every California Tree to Help Predict Fire Spread

Over the coming decade, California is aiming to reduce CO2 emissions to levels 40% below what they were in 1990, and the burning of so many forests may have actually set the state back behind what it achieved in 2016.

American Forests goes the extra distance to ensure their forests have the highest degree of survivability, thereby ensuring climate goals can be met and stay met.

One way is by seeking out the trees in forests which have survived disease, fire, or drought, and specifically harvesting their seeds in attempt to germinate new forests with whatever genetic resilience these lucky trees had.

MORE: 5-Year-old Sends Baby Yoda Mascot to Keep California Firefighters Company

In order to ensure these strategies don’t need to be endlessly repeated, the organization is using modeling to imagine the needs of the trees and the ecosystem they inhabit 30 or even 50 years in the future.

“It’s very common to look at what was there before the fire and just say, let’s replace that one for one—try and get the exact same seed, exact same trees, and replant them,” Austin Rempel, senior manager of forest restoration at American Forests told Fast Company. “But that doesn’t make sense when looking out 30, especially 60 years from now.”

READ: Self-Powered Wildfire Detector Could Help Fight the Spread of Deadly Blazes, Using The Motion of Trees For Power

While the COVID-19 shutdowns have limited BLM and Forest Service workers’ abilities to get into the fire-damaged areas in California and make plans for reforestation, American Forests are hard at work, planting trees and clearing underbrush—one of the key factors in rampant wildfire growth.

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Nigerian-Irish Teens Develop a Dementia App for Sufferers Coping With Lockdown–and It’s Won Awards

By

Judy Cole

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Oct 19, 2020

teen-app-screenshot-Global News-Youtube — Global News/YouTube

Thanks to three remarkable teenage girls and their amazing mentor, there’s a brand-new app on the horizon specifically designed to help Dementia patients and caregivers better navigate the confusing waters of the disease.

While STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math) have long been considered a traditional boys’ club, with brilliant minds like those of Joy Njekwe, 17, Rachael Akano, 15, and Margaret Akano, 17–whose innovative app Memory Haven recently bested a field of 1,500 entrants from 62 countries to take first prize in the Technovation Girls competition at the 2020 Technovation World Summit–persistent gender barriers and glass ceilings will continue to crumble.

The Nigerian-Irish teens live in Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland. Their mentor, Evelyn Nomayo is currently perusing her Ph.D. in computer science and statistics.

When Nomayo realized she was often the only female or person of color in her classes, the obvious imbalance troubled her. So with the goal of bringing more girls and people of color into that space, she founded Phase Innovate, whose mission is to mentor and train underrepresented minorities in the fields of tech and business.

Inspired by Nomayo’s recollection of her own mother’s battle with dementia, and worried about how people with the condition might be struggling with lockdown, the trio brainstormed, coded, and created Memory Haven over the course of the 12-week Technovation challenge.

“My mom started having dementia problems three to four years ago,” Nomayo, whose mother passed away earlier this year, told NPR.

“The first time I realized something was wrong was when she started hallucinating. She lived in America, but she’d be imagining that she was in Nigeria. One time [when I was visiting her] I gave her something to sew, and I could see the pain in her eyes because she forgot how to.

“She used to be a seamstress, but she couldn’t do it anymore. So some of my experiences that I had with her, the team translated into technology to help others.”

Memory Haven is geared to address the three most common difficulties associated with dementia: speech impairment, loss of memory, and a diminished capacity for recognition.

The app features a music playlist with a built-in facial and vocal recognition that tailors tunes to the user’s specific moods and a reach out function to summon help in emergency situations.

Other functions include a photo wallet that lets users scan through tagged pictures of the important people in their lives; memory games to improve cognitive function, and health alerts that offer both patients and caregivers reminders of appointments or when it’s time to take medications.

“Our main aim is just to help as many people as possible,” project manager Akano told the BBC. “We hope that our app can go global one day and reach millions of people who are affected by dementia and just make their lives somewhat easier.”

MORE: Dementia-Friendly Dance Class Restores Strength and Happiness to Seniors Fighting Alzheimer’s

Due to the constraints of COVID-19, Njekwe and the Akano sisters conducted most of their work for their Technovation Girls project via WhatsApp.

Even this year’s award ceremony was conducted virtually, but that didn’t dim the girls’ joyous response when they learned they’d taken home the top prize.

CHECK OUT: Alzheimer’s Research Has Found a Protein That Protects Against The Disease

(WATCH the ecstatic reaction to their winning moment in the Global News video below.)

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Dog Groomers Treat Plush Toy to ‘Relaxing Spa Day’ Before Reuniting it With Little Boy

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Good News Network

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Oct 19, 2020

stuffed-toy-lavish-dog-day-spa — Lavish Dog Day Spa

When a little boy in Maine was reunited with his lost plush toy last week, he couldn’t have imagined the adventures his puppy had seen.

All because the groomers at the Lavish Dog Day Spa, after discovering the lost toy, decided to give it some pampering while they searched for the stuffed dog’s owner.

A bubble bath, shampoo, a good combing, and a shiny blue bow were all part of the toy’s big day.

And, they documented it all in photos.

They wanted to put a smile on the boy’s face, and let him know his toy wasn’t alone.

By Sunday morning, the pampered pup was back in its owner’s arms.

“Thank you so much for looking out for my son’s puppy,” the boy’s mother wrote on Facebook. “He was so happy to be reunited with him.”

LOOK: Airport Not Only Returns Lost Toy, It Makes Picture Book of Tiger’s Travels

The unnamed pup was a lucky dog because this dog day spa outside Portland was the finest place to be left behind.

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