In February of 2013 I joined over 100 Shot@Life Champions in Washington, DC, where we were given the training and tools needed to help advocate for global health. To lend our voices to global mothers everywhere, we had the opportunity to meet with members of Congress and ask them to please help fund Global Health initiatives.
And, this month the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign is providing a really easy way for everyone to provide a vaccine a day for a child who needs it most, just by commenting on a post, through their 3rd annual “Blogust” , an online writing initiative!
What is Shot@Life?
Did you know that every 20 seconds a child dies of a vaccine preventable disease?
That adds up to approximately 1.5 million children in developing countries dying every year of vaccine preventable diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, measles and polio.
In developing countries, some mothers walk 15 miles carrying their babies, for the opportunity to get their child vaccinated. Imagine walking 15 miles.
I live in the United States, New Jersey to be exact, and my children are lucky enough to receive their vaccinations according to the recommended schedule. I put my children in my SUV, buckle them into their car seats and off we go to the pediatrician. This was something I considered the norm and took for granted until I was introduced to Shot@Life. A campaign of the United Nations Foundations, Shot@Life is a movement to protect children worldwide by providing life-saving vaccines where they are most needed.
I left Washington, D.C. with a life mission to do my part to raise awareness for the need for global vaccines. I want to help children in developing countries reach all the same wonderful milestones as my own children. To ensure they grow old enough to ride a bicycle, play hide & seek and learn to read. This month there is a very easy way to use nothing but your computer keys to support the movement!
How Can You Help & What is Blogust?
Blogust 2013!
Shot@Life is hosting their third annual “Blogust”, a month-long digital dialogue bringing 31 online writers together to help change the world through their words. These writers are new to the movement and each will post each day for the month of August 2013. Every comment they receive on their posts throughout the month will trigger a donation by Walgreens to provide a vaccine for a child in need around the world.
This gives you the power to make a difference by using your words. It’s very simple.
All you have to do is click this link to find the daily post http://www.shotatlife.org/blogust/ and comment to help save a child’s life! Easy, peasy.
One Comment = One Vaccine
This is an original post to World Moms Blog by Sarah Hughes of New Jersey, USA, author of “Finnegan and the Hughes.” Sarah has joined World Moms blog as an editor and handles new contributions from our contribute2[at]worldmomsblog[dot]com account. Are you interested in contributing to World Moms Blog? Email Sarah!
Photo credits to the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign.
Sarah Hughes
Sarah grew up in New York and now calls New Jersey home. A mother of two, Derek (5) and Hayley (2), Sarah spends her days working at a University and nights playing with her children. In her “free” time Sarah is a Shot@Life Champion and a volunteer walk coordinator for the Preeclampsia Foundation. Sarah enjoys reading, knitting, sewing, shopping and coffee. Visit Sarah at her own blog Finnegan and The Hughes, where she writes about parenting, kid friendly adventures and Social Good issues. Sarah is also an editor, here, at World Moms Blog!
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Thanks for sharing about Shot@Life and Blogust Sarah! This is such an important initiative and Blogust makes it easy to help out! Champions like you help to make the world a better place and to give all kids the chance at a healthy future, no matter where they are born. kudos!
Thanks for sharing your space with Blogust!! Happy to spread the world. Love World Moms Blog!!
Sarah,
Thank you for explaining some more about this important campaign to get more vaccines to children who need them.
I will be more than happy to spread the word around. Let’s all tell the world to do this – together!
Good for you, Sarah.
An important cause we all need to know about!
There are so many basic things we take for granted in our lives, and access to vaccines is one of them. Thanks for reminding me that not everyone has access to such an important yet easy way to prevent serious illness. You’re a great spokesperson!
Thanks for joining in Carrie!! We need all the wonderful moms we can find to help lend their voices!!
What a great program! Everyone should be participating and working to provide vaccines to those in need, especially given how easy this initiative makes it for all to help out! I will definitely be sharing this with my friends and family!
I’m so far behind on my Blogust comments, need to catch up! Great being a part of this with you. Thanks for the reminder.
I need to go catch up too!! I love that we have all month to help do our part!
I need to catch up on Blogust commenting, too — but it’s great that we still have all through August!!
Fantastic post, Sarah! I’m so glad that you are championing Shot@Life!
Jen 🙂
So true! Sometimes we take these things for granted when we live in an area with immediate access to medical care. Geography plays such a big role in the healthcare that children receive.
So late in commenting for Blogust- but so happy to help support such an important cause!! Thank you for contributing!! 🙂
What a great way to help deserving children acquire the treatment the need. Very happy to be helping out– especially as a mom2momAfrica sponsor!
Thank you for taking the time to bring awareness to the need for ALL children to have vaccines.
Sarah, thanks for helping to bring awareness Blogust and Shot@Life!! Finally spending the day getting caught up on the past week of posts!!