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Maryland Man Helps People End Addiction and Reclaim their Lives

By
TiannaManon
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On average, at least 130 Americans die every day from a fatal drug overdose, according to the Center for Disease Control.

That could’ve been Russell Phillips.

Phillips is a Maryland resident and former addict who says he spent close to two decades addicted to drugs. He didn’t get clean until he was sentenced to ten years in prison. Now, three years after his release, he’s sharing his experiences, mentoring youth and fighting to change policy—and the stigma against drug users.

“I think people are scared to discuss addiction because people don’t understand it, they bash both addiction and addicts as well,” he explained. “People who are addicted or families of addicts, don’t always want to face the severity of the issue at hand. I think it’s easier just to forget about it or even pretend the problem isn’t there.”

MORE: Once Living On the Streets, the Love and Support of 250 Seniors Made Her Sober—and an Award-Winning Caregiver

The 40-year-old was addicted to drugs for more than 18 years, experiencing homelessness and damaging relationships with his loved ones—particularly his mother and his daughter.

He was eventually sentence for cocaine distribution, and while in jail, his mother died. He took the opportunity to get clean—for his mother, for his daughter, for himself.

The Beginning of Another Journey

“I first came home October of 2016,” he said. “I didn’t have anything—no money and my license was suspended. I had no job and my mom was gone. The house that she lived in got foreclosed, so I literally had nothing.”

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But he was motivated by the previous two decades of mistakes. He wanted to make up for them, and be a role model to his now 17-year-old daughter, Danielle. He also wanted to make a difference, so he began mentoring youth, speaking publicly and formed a coalition called Light in the Shadows.

“Light in the Shadows is an organization that looks to shed light on people living in the darkest of places and situations,” he said. “I founded it for the sole purpose of helping people realize that they are bigger than their circumstances, and that no matter where they’ve been in life, no situation is too big to overcome.

He’s got a good union job now in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and is making up for lost time.

What’s next for this changemaker?

MORE: Listen to Woman’s Incredible Story of How an Accidental Phone Call Pulled Her Out of Drug Addiction

He has a novel called ‘Dear Mom‘ in the works, about a single mom struggling to raise a son who gets into trouble. Based on his own life, it will be out sometime next year.

“I’m speaking as well, trying to use my story as an inspiration to anyone who feels lost in life. I’m also in the process of reaching out to schools to help with kids. We all share a responsibility of helping and teaching the next generation. This world desperately needs change and direction, and I want to be a part of that.”

You can learn more about Phillips and support his work by visiting his website, russellphillips.com and following him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Dog Ownership Associated With Longer Life—Especially Among Heart Attack and Stroke Survivors

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Good News Network
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Dog ownership may be associated with longer life and better cardiovascular outcomes, especially for heart attack and stroke survivors who live alone, according to these two new studies from the American Heart Association (AHA).

“The findings in these two well-done studies and analyses build upon prior studies and the conclusions of the [AHA] that dog ownership is associated with reductions in factors that contribute to cardiac risk and to cardiovascular events,” said Glenn N. Levine, chair of the writing group of the AHA’s scientific statement on pet ownership.

“Furthermore, these two studies provide good, quality data indicating dog ownership is associated with reduced cardiac and all-cause mortality. While these non-randomized studies cannot ‘prove’ that adopting or owning a dog directly leads to reduced mortality, these robust findings are certainly at least suggestive of this.”

Given previous research demonstrating how social isolation and lack of physical activity can negatively impact patients, researchers in both the study and meta-analysis sought to determine how dog ownership affected health outcomes. Prior studies have shown that dog ownership alleviates social isolation, improves physical activity and even lowers blood pressure—leading researchers to believe dog owners could potentially have better cardiovascular outcomes compared to non-owners.

RELATED: Americans Who Drink This Much Water a Day Are More Likely to Report Feeling ‘Very Happy’

Researchers in this study, which was published in the AHA’s journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, compared the health outcomes of dog owners and non-owners after a heart attack or stroke using health data provided by the Swedish National Patient Register.

Patients studied were Swedish residents ages 40 to 85 who experienced heart attack or ischemic stroke from 2001 to 2012. Compared to people who did not own a dog, researchers found that for dog owners:

  • The risk of death for heart attack patients living alone after hospitalization was 33% lower, and 15% lower for those living with a partner or child.
  • The risk of death for stroke patients living alone after hospitalization was 27% lower and 12% lower for those living with a partner or child.
  • In the study, nearly 182,000 people were recorded to have had a heart attack, with almost 6% being dog owners, and nearly 155,000 people were recorded to have had an ischemic stroke, with almost 5% being dog owners.

The lower risk of death associated with dog ownership could be explained by an increase in physical activity and the decreased depression and loneliness, both of which have been connected to dog ownership in previous studies.

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“We know that social isolation is a strong risk factor for worse health outcomes and premature death. Previous studies have indicated that dog owners experience less social isolation and have more interaction with other people,” said Tove Fall, professor at Uppsala University in Sweden. “Furthermore, keeping a dog is a good motivation for physical activity, which is an important factor in rehabilitation and mental health.”

While this study draws from a large sample, potential misclassifications of dog ownership in couples living together, death of a dog and change of ownership could have affected the outcomes of the study.

WATCH: Thanks to Student’s Hunch, Seniors With Dementia Are ‘Coming Alive’ Again With the ‘Magic’ of Virtual Reality

“The results of this study suggest positive effects of dog ownership for patients who have experienced a heart attack or stroke. However, more research is needed to confirm a causal relationship and giving recommendations about prescribing dogs for prevention. Moreover, from an animal welfare perspective, dogs should only be acquired by people who feel they have the capacity and knowledge to give the pet a good life.”

Dog Ownership and Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Researchers also reviewed patient data of over 3.8 million people taken from 10 separate studies for a composite meta-analysis study. Of the 10 studies reviewed, nine included comparison of all-cause mortality outcomes for dog owners and non-owners, and four compared cardiovascular outcomes for dog owners and non-owners.

Researchers found that compared to non-owners, dog owners experienced a:

  • 24% reduced risk of all-cause mortality
  • 65% reduced risk of mortality after heart attack
  • 31% reduced risk of mortality due to cardiovascular-related issues

“Having a dog was associated with increased physical exercise, lower blood pressure levels and better cholesterol profile in previous reports,” said Caroline Kramer, a clinician scientist at Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes at Mount Sinai Hospital. “As such, the findings that people who owned dogs lived longer and their risk for cardiovascular death was also lower are somewhat expected.”

RELATED: New Study Builds on Correlation Between Tea Consumption, Healthier Brains, and Reduced Risk of Dementia

Studies deemed eligible for analysis included those conducted among adults age 18 or older, original data from an original prospective study, evaluated dog ownership at the beginning of the study and reported all-cause or cardiovascular mortality of patients. Studies were excluded if they were retrospective; did not provide an absolute number of events that occurred; and reported non-fatal cardiovascular events.

“Our findings suggest that having a dog is associated with longer life. Our analyses did not account for confounders such as better fitness or an overall healthier lifestyle that could be associated with dog ownership. The results, however, were very positive,” said Dr. Kramer.

“The next step on this topic would be an interventional study to evaluate cardiovascular outcomes after adopting a dog and the social and psychological benefits of dog ownership. As a dog owner myself, I can say that adopting Romeo (the author’s miniature Schnauzer) has increased my steps and physical activity each day, and he has filled my daily routine with joy and unconditional love.”

Be Sure And Share This Pawesome Study With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Marie Floyd / US Air Force

Woman Saves Injured Butterfly, Repairing Its Wing to Help It Fly Again

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Good News Network
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SWNS
Photo by Insect Art

A wildlife volunteer was able to save the life of an injured butterfly by carrying out an intricate wing transplant.

36-year-old Katie Van Blaricum says that she first noticed a Monarch butterfly with a piece of its wing missing while working at her local zoo.

She immediately decided to try and repair the damaged wing out of fear that it would lead to an early death for the insect.

“I was helping the zoo tag the butterflies when a lady came up to me and said that one of them had a broken wing and said she would have to put it in the freezer,” explained Van Blaricum. “I had already repaired a wing in the past so she asked me to help this one—so I took it home with me.”

LOOK: Man Single-handedly Repopulated Butterfly Species in a City Using His Backyard

Armed with a glass plate, tape, and pins, Van Blaricum got to work and managed to hold down the butterfly long enough to glue on a piece of wing taken from a dead butterfly.

Van Blaricum, who is from Kansas, usually works with dead butterflies through her jewelry and picture frame business called Insect Art.

SWNS

“I have a lot of dead butterflies in my house so I had lots of options to choose from. I managed to find one that was the same size and shape that could work,” says Van Blaricum. “Butterflies can be slowed down a little bit if you put them in the refrigerator, but not for very long, so I put glass plates over the top of it to keep in place.

“I cut off the broken bit of wing and glued on the other wing which came from a Graphium butterfly. Then I held it for a few seconds.”

SWNS

A butterfly has four wings; two forewings and two hind wings which are attached to segments that use its muscles to move the wings up and down.

After her swift—and successful—repair of the butterfly’s left forewing, Van Blaricum let it go after several days of recovery and watched in awe as it flew up into the trees.

SWNS

“It was quite stormy for a few days so I ended up keeping it over the weekend for two or three days and fed it so it would be ready to fly again,” she recalled.

“When we finally went out, it just flew up into the tree and used the wind to help it fly.”

Despite finding a parallel between the wing transplant and her Insect Art business, Van Blaricum says that the two practices aren’t very similar.

SWNS

“I’ve got thousands of dead insects in my basement, but the two don’t really link up,” she mused. “The insects I use come from insect farms where they are specifically bred for this process they are not taken from the wild and we’re not hurting the wild population.”

(WATCH the video below)

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California Becomes First US State to Push Back Public School Start Times

By
McKinley Corbley
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California has just become the first state in the nation to pass legislation that prohibits public schools from starting too early.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into effect earlier this week after it was overwhelmingly approved by state legislators, who realized the health and education ramifications for kids not getting enough sleep.

The bill now mandates that middle schools can start no earlier than 8AM while high schools will be prohibited from starting any earlier than 8:30AM.

Public schools now have until the start of the 2022 school year to adjust their schedules accordingly.

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Senate Bill 328 was passed in response to a mounting body of research about how later school start times improve students’ grades, health, and rates of attendance. According to a 2016 analysis of a Massachusetts pilot program that delayed the morning bell, reporters found that pushing back high school start times to 8:30AM produced positive results almost immediately: test scores went up, the number of Ds and Fs dropped by half, rates of tardiness and absence went down, and teen-related car crashes decreased dramatically as well.

Students also said they did not mind being kept in school until 3PM because the later start time made them feel better rested and less likely to fall asleep while in class.

California lawmakers now hope that their students will experience similar benefits after their newly-approved bill goes into effect—and other states may be inspired to take similar action in their own classrooms.

Be Sure And Share The News With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Ed Yourdon, CC, via Flickr

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu

Photo: by Beth Phifer – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

Listen to Adorable Toddler Describe Her Feelings About First Meeting the Parents Who Adopted Her

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Good News Network
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Millions of people are melting over this sweet video of a little girl named Gabby describing the first time that she met her adoptive parents.

In the video, Gabby says that she was only 4 years old when she first met her the couple from Dallas, Texas.

The adorable youngster goes on to describe the encounter in the cutest way possible. At the very end of the video, she lowers her voice to a secretive tone and asks her mother about the first time they met.

“Do you know what happened to my heart?” whispers Gabby. “Well, when the first time I saw you, my heart fall in love with you!”

Yep… you may need to grab tissues for this.

(WATCH the wholesome video below) – Photo by Newsflare

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Bison Get 22,000 Acres of Additional Prairie Land to Roam Free – Watch The Spectacular Moment They Were Reintroduced After 150 Years

By
McKinley Corbley
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Photo by Alison Henry / WWF
Photo by Clay Bolt / WWF

There was once a time when bison roamed freely in huge numbers across the Great Plains. An estimated 30 million bison in the 1500s dwindled dramatically to less than 1,000 on the continent by the late 1800s.

Conservation efforts in Badlands National Park began during the 1960s when 50 bison were reintroduced to the park, followed by an additional 20 bison in the 1980s. Today, the population has reached approximately 1,200, but officials wanted to give the animals more land so they could migrate.

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In 2014, the Badlands Park worked with the National Forest Service and WWF to purchase an additional 22,000 acres of bison habitat in a land swap with its neighbor, the Don Kelly Ranch, that would free up more open territory for bison migration. But fences had to be built to keep the animals from roaming onto neighboring ranches.

After completing 43 miles of new fencing, on Oct 11, bison were reintroduced on the property—for the first time in 150 years. The spectacular sight of four majestic mammals galloping onto the land was described in a WWF blog post:

The door of the gooseneck trailer clanged open and for a moment, the only sound was a lacerating wind whipping snow across the plains and canyons of Badlands National Park. A slew of onlookers waited in hushed anticipation. And then—as though a signaling bell chimed—four massive, majestic bison barreled through the opening and into the wild. 

“Bison are North America’s largest and most iconic mammal,” said Martha Kauffman, managing director of WWF’s Northern Great Plains program. “The project has touched the imaginations of people across the US, and the matching dollars that WWF has provided wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of our supporters.”

This project has provided the bison more than 80,000 total acres to roam within the park.  Officials hope that their continued conservation efforts in the Badlands will achieve the mission of bringing the species back to its former glory.

(WATCH the WWF video of the exciting moment below…)

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Researchers Use Fire Blankets to Protect Buildings From Wildfires; And It Could Save Homes in the Future

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Good News Network
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Photo by Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering
Photo by Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering

Wrapping a building in a fire-protective blanket is a viable way of protecting it against wildfires, finds the first study to scientifically assesses this method of defense.

By rigorously testing different fabric materials in the laboratory and using them to shield structures that were exposed to fires of increasing magnitude, this research, published in Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering, confirms that existing blanket technology can protect structures from a short wildfire attack.

For successful deployment against severe fires and in areas of high housing density, technological advancement of blanket materials and deployment methods, as well as multi-structure protection strategies, are needed.

“The whole-house fire blanket is a viable method of protection against fires at the wildland-urban interface,” says lead study author Fumiaki Takahashi, a professor at Case Western Reserve University.

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“Current technology can protect an isolated structure against a relatively short wildfire attack and further technological developments are likely to enable this method to be applied to severe situations.”

Wildfires in urban and suburban settings can have a devastating effect on communities and pose one of the greatest fire challenges of our time.

People living and working in fire-risk areas contacted Professor Takahashi to find out if commercial products are available to help reduce the likelihood of structure ignition, which would reduce fire damage and improve public and firefighter safety. These pleas motivated the research and an initial investigation revealed that the concept of whole-structure fire blankets has been around for quite some time.

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“I thought about a means to reduce wildland fire damage and found a U.S. patent ‘conflagration-retardative curtain’ i.e., a fire blanket, issued during World War II. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service firefighters managed to save a historic forest cabin by wrapping it with their fire shelter materials,” Takahashi reports.

While there are anecdotal reports on the ability of fire blankets to protect buildings from fires, Takahashi’s research highlighted a severe lack of scientific evidence to back up these claims. To rectify this, funded by a research grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the team conducted several experiments to test the ability of different blanket materials to shield structures against fires of increasing magnitude.

“The fire exposure tests determined how well the fire blankets protected various wooden structures, from a birdhouse in a burning room to a full-size shed in a real forest fire. We tested four types of fabric materials: aramid, fiberglass, amorphous silica, and pre-oxidized carbon, each with and without an aluminum surface. In addition, we conducted laboratory experiments under controlled heat exposure and measured the heat-insulation capabilities of these materials against direct flame contact or radiation heat.”

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The laboratory and real-fire assessments demonstrate that fire blankets could protect structures from a short exposure to a wildfire, but also highlight the technical limitations of their existing form. Further technological advancements are needed in the areas of material composition, deployment methods and multi-structure protection strategies.

Takahashi explains: “The fiberglass or amorphous silica fabrics laminated with aluminum foil performed best, due to high reflection/emission of radiation and good thermal insulation by the fabric. New technology is needed to enhance the fire blankets’ heat-blocking capability for an extended period to prevent structure-to-structure ignition.

He concludes by suggesting communities potentially affected by wildfires work together to turn the concept of whole-building fire blankets into a reality.

“The implication of the present findings is that the technical community, the general public, and the fire service must work together to take a step-by-step approach toward the successful application of this technology.”

Reprinted from Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering

Photo by Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering

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Firefighters Soothe ‘Very Scared’ Little Girl By Asking Her to Paint Their Nails After She Was in a Car Crash

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These two Utah firefighters went above and beyond the call of duty to calm an anxious little girl who had just gotten out of a car collision.

According to a Facebook post from the North Davis Fire District, Chief Hadley and Captain Lloyd were some of the first responders to arrive on the scene of the crash earlier this week.

Though none of the drivers or passengers were seriously injured in the collision, there was a screaming little girl who was “very scared” from the experience.

MORE: When Bus Driver Sees His Students Waiting in Weeds, He Returned to Mow the Entire Bus Stop

“After noticing the child was holding bottles of fingernail polish, these two officers started talking to her about her polish and asked her if she would paint their nails,” says the post.

“Within minutes, the child was calmly paining their nails and had forgotten about the accident she had just experienced.”

Though the manicure was not necessarily the tidiest paint job, thousands of social media users have praised the firefighters for their kindness.

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“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” – Zig Ziglar

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Quote of the Day: “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” – Zig Ziglar

Photo: by gfpeck – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

Simone Biles Breaks Record for Most World Medals Won By Any Gymnast, With New Move That Now Bears Her Name

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Good News Network
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THE 25TH ESPYS - Theatre - The world's best athletes and biggest stars join host Peyton Manning for "The 25th ESPYS presented by Capital One" live from the Microsoft Theater on WEDNESDAY, JULY 12 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (ABC/Image Group LA) SIMONE BILES

Simone Biles won five gold medals at the 2019 World Championships this weekend—more than any gymnast at a single Worlds since 1958—and earned her 25th career World medal (19 of them gold), a total that surpasses by two any gymnast’s in history.

With four Olympic gold medals and 19 World titles, Biles, at 22, is doing more difficult gymnastics now than she did in sweeping five Olympic medals at the 2016 Rio Games when she was 19.

While winning her sixth U.S. all-around title in Stuttgart, Germany, she thrilled audiences with two new signature moves never performed by a female gymnast in competition: a double twisting double tuck dismount off the balance beam, and a triple twisting double tuck during her floor exercise, an element that will bear her name in gymnastics, from now on, as the Biles II.

Tying and then breaking the record set by Vitaly Scherbo with her 23rd, 24th and 25th World medals, Biles added five of the six women’s World golds, a feat no woman has accomplished since Larisa Latynina in 1958.

In 2013, she performed a skill that was named Biles I, a double layout half out tumbling pass, which, to that point, had only been performed by men.

“I really don’t know how I do it sometimes,” Biles said. “Sometimes I wonder how I do it. I feel like it’s just like not me. I wish I could have an out-of-body experience to witness it.”

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Despite her seemingly super-human skill, Biles is very human, according to her coach, Laurent Landi. “With big champions, it’s all in-between the ears, it’s nothing physical. I know we talk about the physical abilities, but without this,” he said, tapping his head, “she would not be capable of doing what she does.”

Considered the greatest gymnast of all time, Simone has said that she will likely retire after 2020.

(WATCH the new Biles II and an interview after breaking the record) –Photos by Walt Disney Television (right) and vfutscher (left), CC license on Flickr

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50 Years of Conservation Finally Lifts This Beloved Warbler Off The Endangered Species List

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Good News Network
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For 50 years, the Kirtland’s warbler has been one of the most endangered birds on the planet.

In 1971, there were only around 200 singing male warblers left, surviving in just six counties in northern Michigan, within a particular area of jack pine forests specific to its nesting requirements.

When the Endangered Species Act was first signed into law in 1973, the tiny songbird was one of the first species added—and efforts were launched to save it. Today, after 90,000 acres of additional jack pine forests were created to support its habitat, a recent census that counted individual songs, found that their population had increased 11 fold, to 2,383 pairs—more than double the recovery goal.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have described the 50-year project as a regulatory and collaborative success story, citing the outstanding work of the Michigan State wildlife authorities who have worked for a half century to expand nesting habitat and reduce the population of brown-headed cowbirds—a predator species that competes by laying their eggs in warbler nests, the babies of which, when hatched, overcome the smaller warblers.

The revival of the notably loudmouthed songbird has been described as “a shining example of what it takes to save imperiled species,” by Margaret Everson, principal deputy director of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

RELATED: Population Doubles For One of New Zealand’s Rarest Birds, As 150 Chicks Hatch This Season

The warbler, with its beautiful golden bib in the center of azure-grey feathers, has spread geographically, expanding beyond the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan to areas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin and Ontario.

By Joel Trick, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters (CC license)

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the Kirtland’s warbler no longer warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act.

“Conservation will continue to require a coordinated, multi-agency approach for planning and implementing conservation efforts into the future,” FWS stated, citing the need for partnerships and “sufficient funding” to continue to ensure the population is stable.

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Historically, wildfires were the most important factor for establishing the natural jack pine forests that Kirtland’s warblers need for breeding habitat. Modern wildfire suppression greatly diminished the natural disturbance that once generated the perfect breeding habitat. In the absence of wildfire, land managers had to take an active role in mimicking natural processes that regularly occurred within the jack pine ecosystem—primarily through timber harvesting and human-assisted reforestation.

Today, the sale of jack pine timber on sites where reforestation will occur is critical to managing Kirtland’s warbler breeding habitat. Timber receipts offset the cost of replanting jack pine needed to support a viable population of nesting Kirtland’s warblers that would not otherwise be feasible through conservation dollars.

“Private forest owners are proud partners in this major milestone and committed to the long-term health of the Kirtland’s warbler,” said Dave Tenny, founding President and CEO of the National Alliance of Forest Owners.

MORE: Too Drunk to Drive, Man Saves Baby Bird’s Life By Paying Uber to Bring it to a Rescue Center

The successful management of the Kirtland’s warbler is a prime example of how cooperative conservation without conflict can produce a win-win for all.

Hat-Tip to World At Large, a news website of nature, science, health, politics, and travel. 

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Teen Creates App to Organize All The Family’s Caregivers After Grandmother Gets Alzheimers

By
Jennifer Zolper
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There seems to be an app for just about anything these days, but for a hands-on, ‘round-the-clock task like dementia care, is there really “an app for that”?

When Logan Wells’s grandmother was first diagnosed with dementia, her family chose to care for her at home so she could enjoy her three-mile daily walks and a social life with friends. Logan’s parents, Hallie and Eric, and his aunt Lisa set out to organize a schedule for Nannie and all her companions.

Hallie told Colonial Times Magazine, “When we first started, there were pieces of paper all over Nannie’s house: the chore chart on the fridge, the calendar on the kitchen counter, the medication check-off.”

But, as Nannie’s condition declined and more specialized care was required, the family in Lexington, Massachusetts, began introducing professional caregivers into the mix. With six family members and three professional staff, the teenager witnessed the overwhelming number of tasks created by constantly having to update the team through texts, emails, and calling multiple numbers—and he wondered if there was a better way.

50 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with dementia, but despite the large adult population going through similar circumstances, it’s common for families to feel isolated and overwhelmed.

Seeing the stress it was putting on his mom to coordinate all medical appointments, medications, and be the main point of contact for all the helpers, Logan did what he could to help. He also began learning programming from online tutorials with the plan to develop an app that would coordinate all the data and calendar information.

RELATED: Thanks to Student’s Hunch, Seniors With Dementia Are ‘Coming Alive’ Again With the ‘Magic’ of Virtual Reality

Development of the app quickly became a family project. Logan’s dad, Eric, helped with his background in technology and programming; his twin brother Devin and sister Delaney provided input for the prototype; and Logan’s mom and aunt tested the initial version and provided crucial feedback.

Later in the development process, they brought in software consultants to provide security features, and help to scale up the app so it could be offered to families everywhere. The result is CareZare.

Logan and his father then took it to a local senior care facility and collected feedback from test groups of care professionals who knew how massive amounts of health and behavioral data could be streamlined and improved.

The pair also met with families facing different types of care challenges, such as adult family members with developmental disabilities. “We started to think – we can build this so it’s useful to other people,” Eric said. The suggestions they received were integrated into the app.

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With the free app, users can log activities, track tasks (such as, if patient took their meds), keep an up-to-date calendar and have all of your contacts in one place. The app inventors say that future enhancements include integration with Google and Apple calendars, weather updates that could help care team members plan ahead, and even streaming video feed from home security cameras.

When asked about log-in problems experienced by a few users who then left poor reviews, Logan Wells told GNN, “We had a steep rise in users in a short amount of time which caused some issues, but those are now resolved.”

Currently, CareZare is offered for both Android and iPhone devices.

So, yes, even for the myriad challenges that families face in helping care for one of their own, there really is an app for that. CareZare launched in November of 2017.

“It has been a godsend, honestly, from the communication point of view,” Logan’s aunt Lisa said. “Before, you could spend half your day just calling people and trying to figure things out.”

MORE: After Breakthrough Trials, Alzheimer’s Vaccine That Uses the Body’s Immune System May Soon Be Tested on Humans

Nannie can be very proud of her grandson, who spent so many of his teen years working to improve the lives of his family members, and so many others.

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“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” – Henry James

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” – Henry James

Photo: by Anne O’Mahony – CC license on Flickr

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

 

Prisoners Are Finding Purpose–and Rehabilitation–By Caring for Lambs for Drought-Stricken Farmers

By
McKinley Corbley
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Photo by Cooma Correctional Service
Photo by Cooma Correctional Service

Drought-stricken farmers in Australian are receiving some greatly-needed assistance thanks to a bewe-tiful new form of prisoner rehabilitation.

Inmates at the Cooma Correctional Center in the Snowy Monaro region of New South Wales have been caring for newborn lambs as a means of helping local farmers during the dry season, according to ABC News.

Farmers who may need a hand with their baby livestock can contact the prison and arrange for their lambs to stay at the facility. Once the lambs are dropped off at the prison’s indoor livestock pen, the inmates can then provide round-the-clock care for the duration of the lambs’ eight-week adolescence.

Not only does the program help support struggling local farmers, it is also a therapeutic method for teaching valuable job skills and agriculture training to the inmates.

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“It’s made me a bit more kind-hearted and gentle,” one of the prisoners told ABC News. “Who doesn’t love a baby lamb? I just love them.”

Since the program has grown more and more successful, the inmates and correctional officers are currently building additional pens to accommodate the increasing amount of resident lambs. Additionally, community members have been donating blankets, feeding bottles, and lamb food to help care for the critters.

Photo by Cooma Correctional Service

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Anonymous Postal Worker Sent Girl a Sweet Package After She Addressed a Letter to ‘God’ About Her Dog in Heaven

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Good News Network
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A Texas family suffered the loss of their pet, but in their story you are sure to have your faith in humanity fully restored.

Greg and Joy Scrivener’s 14-year-old dog Abbey died in 2006. The day after she passed away, their 4-year-old daughter Meredith was so sad that she asked her mother if they could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.

She then dictated these words to her mother:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith

They then put the letter in an envelope with two pictures of Abbey and addressed the envelope: “To: God in Heaven.” They wrote their San Antonio address on it and put it in the mailbox.

Soon after, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on their front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’. Inside was a book written by Mr. Rogers called When a Pet Dies. The original envelope and letter were also enclosed, along with the photos of their beloved black and white dog. Tucked inside the book was this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.

Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

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Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I’m easy to find. I am wherever there is love.

Love, God

This wonderful story is 100% true, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

(File photo by Virginia State Parks, CC license) EDITOR‘S NOTE: GNN originally attributed the story to a post on Facebook, until an alert reader sent us an email pointing out our mistake.

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Carbon Emissions From 30 of the World’s Largest Cities Are Already Dropping Since Signing Climate Pact

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Good News Network
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Austin, Athens, Lisbon, and Venice are the latest major cities to have peaked their greenhouse gas emissions, according to this latest environmental report.

The world’s leading scientists have calculated that global greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2020 in order to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. New analysis published ahead of the C40 World Mayors Summit confirms that 30 of the world’s largest cities, representing more than 58 million urban citizens, have now reached this crucial milestone.

The 30 cities are: Athens, Austin, Barcelona, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, Copenhagen, Heidelberg, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Montréal, New Orleans, New York City, Oslo, Paris, Philadelphia, Portland, Rome, San Francisco, Stockholm, Sydney, Toronto, Vancouver, Venice, Warsaw, and Washington, D.C.

The fact that 30 of the world’s largest and most influential cities have already peaked greenhouse gas emissions demonstrates that a rapid, equitable low-carbon transition is possible, and is already well underway. C40 analysis shows that, since reaching peak emissions levels, these 30 cities have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 22%. Copenhagen, the host city for this year’s C40 World Mayors Summit, has reduced emissions by up to 61%.

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As of today, half of all C40 cities have already reached peak emissions, are projected to achieve peak emissions by 2020, or have made concrete commitments to meet this ambitious goal.

Mayors recognize the wide-ranging social, economic, and environmental benefits of climate action, and for the past decade, C40 cities around the world have been accelerating action needed to create healthier, cleaner, and more prosperous communities. A few notable examples of the progress cities have accomplished over the past 10 years include:

  • Today, 82 cities have implemented cycle hire schemes, compared to 13 in 2009.
  • There are now more than 66,000 electric buses on the streets of C40 cities, compared to fewer than 100 in 2009.
  • 24 cities have committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2030, compared to 4 in 2009.
  • 18 cities have banned or restricted single-use, non-recyclable plastics, compared to 2 in 2009.
  • 17 cities now have restrictions on high-polluting vehicles that cover a significant part of the city, compared to 3 in 2009.

”The C40 cities that have reached peak emissions are raising the bar for climate ambition, and at the same time, exemplifying how climate action creates healthier, more equitable and resilient communities.” said Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities. “With the vast amount of expertise and resources now available through the C40 Knowledge Hub, we’re going to see even more cities accelerating their climate action to limit global heating and deliver the future we want.”

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As an organization, C40 plays an important role in helping mayors and city officials access critical data and resources to determine the best courses for climate action. C40’s Deadline 2020 program has been vital to cities’ work in developing and implementing ambitious climate action plans in line with science-based targets.

As a next step in providing cities with the knowledge and cutting-edge tools necessary to drive large-scale climate action, C40 announced the launch of the C40 Knowledge Hub, an online platform bringing together insights, practical experiences, and tested approaches from cities ahead of the climate action curve. The C40 Knowledge Hub will allow global cities at every stage of their climate commitments to access policy briefs, technical guidance, the latest data and research, and a bank of case studies to catalyze action at greater speed and scale.

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The launch of the C40 Knowledge Hub is a first-of-its-kind endeavor, marking the first time that knowledge from leading cities has been brought together under one roof for the purpose of informing and inspiring policies in other localities. It also underscores the important role that knowledge-sharing and collaboration plays in raising climate ambition and accelerating action. 30% of all urban actions to address global climate change has involved direct cooperation with other cities.

Cities are invited to register for the Knowledge Hub site to start using the suite of global practical tools and policy briefs for accelerating climate actions, and to contribute to the network of city peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.

Reprinted from C40 Cities

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After Making History With New Film Studio, Tyler Perry to Build a Shelter for Disadvantaged Women and Children

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McKinley Corbley
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Now that Tyler Perry has become the first African-American to own a major film studio outright, he says that he plans on using a portion of the 330-acre property to house disadvantaged women and children.

Perry hosted the grand opening of his newly-created Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia this week.

Though the event was one of the more notable accomplishments of Perry’s career, he is now focusing on his next project: building a shelter for rescued trafficking victims, homeless women, and displaced LGBTQ youth.

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In an interview with CBS This Morning, Perry says he plans on building the compound on his studio property so the shelter residents can simultaneously undergo on-site job training for the film industry.

The initiative is particularly personal to Perry because, as he revealed on an Oprah broadcast in 2010, he was sexually abused as a child.

Now, he hopes that erecting the compound on the studio property will allow him to offer stability and hope to others who have suffered through similar challenges.

(WATCH the interview below) – Photo via screenshot from video by CBS This Morning

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“And from the midst of cheerless gloom I passed to bright unclouded day.” – Emily Bronte

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “And from the midst of cheerless gloom I passed to bright unclouded day.” – Emily Bronte

Photo: by llee_wu – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

34-Year-Old Athlete Just Became the First Human in the World to Finish a Marathon in Under 2 Hours

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Good News Network
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This 34-year-old Kenyan athlete has just become the first human in history to run a marathon in under two hours.

Eliud Kipchoge finished the INEOS marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 40.2 seconds today in Austria.

According to a team of pacemakers who kept up with Kipchoge throughout the ordeal, he ran at a pace of 4:33.5 minutes per mile in order to finish the challenge ahead of schedule.

That being said, Kipchoge already holds the world record for the fastest completed marathon after he finished the Berlin Marathon in 2:01:39 last year.

“I want to inspire many people that no human is limited,” Kipchoge told ESPN. “That was the best moment of my life. The pressure was very big on my shoulders. I got a phone call from the president of Kenya. I am the happiest man today.”

(WATCH him run into the history books in the video below)

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