How can I make a difference? One of the great things about blogging is the opportunity to get involved in campaigns that are fun and meaningful. When I applied for the Shot@Life campaign I basically used my own experience as a mother. It was easy to express how my access to healthcare for my children should be shared by all children. How excited was I when I received the email in December announcing that I was selected to participate in the United Nations Foundation Shot@Life Champion Summit. There were over 200 applicants and only 100 delegates were selected to attend the 2013 Shot@Life Champion Summit. A true honor in itself to be selected for such an amazing cause. The summit will be held in Washington, DC. with delegates attending from 37 states who are moms, dads, students and professionals and activists. What do we share in common? We are individuals with the desire to reduce the mortality rate in developing countries by utilizing our resources to give all children a shot at a healthy life.
The statistics in developing countries are mind boggling which makes this summit so exciting to be a part of a valuable opportunity. As I have learned, 1.5 million children in developing countries die each year from preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and polio. This alarming figure equates to one child dies every 20 second from a disease that could otherwise be treated by a vaccine. I guess what really puts this number in perspective is the fact it is close to half the number of US children entering kindergarten. Astonishing to say the least! here still lies a potential funding threat to continue the efforts. Diarrhea and pneumonia are the key factors that cause childhood mortality. The availability of these vaccines is disproportionate in developing countries with one in five children still with no access to receive vaccines for measles, pneumonia, diarrhea and polio.
As a delegate I am looking forward to being educated and trained on how I can make a difference to ensure children in developing countries have a shot at a healthy life. During the summit, I will share what I have learned and hope my readers will educate themselves on this great campaign and spread the word in their communities as well. The blogosphere has definitely given me a resource to “spread the word” as well as my other social media outlets.
Take a moment to visit the Shot@Life website to learn how you can help grow the efforts of the United Nations Foundation. We can all be champions within our respective communities by contacting members of Congress, hosting events, utilizing local media outlets, and creative fundraising efforts to help spread the word toward all children having a shot at a healthy life.
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