One of the UK‘s largest Cancer charities, Cancer Research UK, took a petition with 250,000 signatures to Downing Street last week, prompting the British government to take notice and act.

This led to the health secretary Patricia Hewitt acting upon the campaigners demands for an updated cancer place by confirming the place of cancer at the top of the government’s health agenda at the Britain Against Cancer conference in London.
Alex Markham, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, told the media that there were three main demands:

1. the plan must take account of the projected doubling in 15 years of people over 65, which will increase the number of cancer cases.

2. the issue of expensive medicines and screening techniques must be addressed

3. the impact of constant change in the structure of the NHS on patients must be assessed.

“This needs national debate about what value we place on increasing someone’s survival by a year. That requires some very open discussion. Also, how do we decide what a drug company is allowed to charge for a particular medicine?” he said.

Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Laws, News, Organizations

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In the next few weeks, I’ll be posting about several charities which can give you ideas for the Holiday season. Finding how and whom you can help is a good starting point if you want to GIVE at this very appropriate time, so read on.

Whatever The Need

Mission
“It is our priority to implement projects that will directly benefit individuals over the long-term in the most efficient way possible (‘direct action’). This enables sponsors of the charity to respond specifically to the needs of local people (rather than indirectly through Governmental or large Non-Governmental Organisations) thus enabling, where wished, a connection to be established between those making the donation and those benefiting from it.”

Focus
A holistic approach in the use and provision of water.

How They Help
In tandem with the provision of water is the building of houses and community centres in areas stricken by disaster. All projects are approached in the most environmentally sensitive manner possible to further the Trustee’s aim to safeguard the planet.

History
The charity began in 1997 and became a registered charity the following year. We began by delivering aid to the Chernobyl region in Ukraine, and later to the Balkans. In 2000 we turned our attention to HIV/AIDS stricken Africa. Over time we began to identify that the underlying problem facing many of the people we were helping was a shortage of clean water and toilet facilities, and the inevitable onset of intestinal problems.

The focus of our projects therefore turned to providing long-term water supplies, safe sanitation and irrigation systems over many parts of the world. This is evolving even further to incorporate ways of using water to benefit the environment as a whole, i.e. adopting a holistic approach whereby water can benefit people, livestock, crops and local habitat.

This work will include education on how vital the earth’s infrastructure is at all levels of life and how these environmental values can become part of day-to-day living.

Online Donations? Yes

Categories: Charities, Websites

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Christmas is coming!! People are in the mood for giving, and all around you there are more ways than ever to do so. At the office, in your neighborhood, at school….simply everywhere you look there is a good cause that becomes apparent during the holidays.

As wonderful as that is, there is unfortunately also reason to be wary. Just look at the recent death of the Crocodile Hunter. Sadly, some swindlers saw the opportunity to turn tragedy into cash, and the same rings true during this year-end yuletide season.

How do you see to it that you and your donations are protected?

Bennett Weiner of the Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity-monitoring organization affiliated with the Council of Better Business Bureaus gives some sound advice:

“The vast majority of charities out there are responsible and accountable, but people shouldn’t forget that while everyone is thinking about helping the needy and charitable giving, there are cons out there who hope to take advantage of them”

Weiner said con artists will try low- and high-tech means to get people’s money. One old con that’s still around involves someone calling on the phone and asking for money for a known charity and emphasizing that they accept credit card donations.

“Normally you wouldn’t think of giving your credit card number to a stranger on the phone,” he said. “But this is for charity. So people get taken in every year by this gimmick.”

The way to avoid such a scam is to ask for printed material about the charity. That will give you time to check out the charity — and confirm the address — before you send a donation, preferably by check, he said.

A high-tech scam generally involves an e-mail that contains a link to a named charity.

“If you open the Web site, it looks like the charity’s Web site, but it’s a false front,” Weiner said. “The con artist is trying to get your credit card number or other information for ID theft.”

Jody Wahl, president of the National Association of State Charity Officials, which is made up of state government officials who oversee charities, said a major concern at the holidays involves solicitations by lesser-known charities. Sometimes these groups adopt a name or slogan similar to a well-known group or a logo that mimics one from a better-known charity.

Weiner of the Wise Giving Alliance said there are a number “red flags”

Excessive pressure. Someone demanding an on-the-spot gift should raise concerns.

Overly emotional appeals. The solicitor brings tears to your eyes but doesn’t tell you much about the charity.

Unknown appealer. You don’t recognize the name of the money-raising group. Before giving any money, check out the charity, both Weiner and Wahl advise. Go to the charity’s Web site and find out exactly what it does, who serves on its board, how it spends its money.

Then go to the Web site of a private monitoring group such as the Wise Giving Alliance and read their report on the charity, or try a national site like Guidestar, which keeps track of the Form 990s that charities must file with the Internal Revenue Service.

Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Holidays, Ideas, Tips

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The Wolong Nature Reserve in China’s southwestern Sichuan province, panda conservationalists were thrilled at the results of their 2006 breeding program, with no less than 16 totally adorable pandas born this year (see pic above).
The Sichuan Wolong Nature Reserve, China’s largest artificial breeding centre, implement many of the programs of Pandas International, the largest organization dedicated solely to the giant panda, considered to be among some of the most endangered animals in the world, with only around 1,000 left in the wild.

Pandas International supports panda nature reserves in their native China through medical research, breeding programs, veterinary care, medicine and medical equipment. Pandas International also focuses on habitat preservation and education programs to increase public awareness of the panda as a highly endangered species.

Part of the Independent Charities of America, the website of Pandas International is a great resource to get ideas on how to help. If you have children (who I am sore will have a soft spot for these cuddly animals), a kit can be purchased for $25 which can help them and their friends or class do a fun fundraising project to help save the pandas.

The website also has a shopping area with all sorts of both useful and fun panda items – proceeds of which go to help the pandas. A good way to start Christmas shopping!

Categories: Animals, Charities, Children, Environmental, News

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In summary, we may ask these questions:

What do the results of these experiments have to do with our present situation?

This is the science behind how we can choose a timeline to stay safe, no matter what else is happening. As Gregg Barden explains in The Isaiah Effect, basically time is not just linear (past, present and future), but it also has depth.

The depth of time consists of all the possible prayers and timelines that could ever be prayed or exist. Essentially, all our prayers have already been answered. We just activate the one we’re living through our FEELINGS.

THIS is how we create our reality – by choosing it with our feelings. Our feelings are activating the timeline via the web of creation, which connects all of the energy and matter of the Universe.

Remember that the law of the Universe is that we attract what we focus on. If you are focused on fearing whatever may come, you are sending a strong message to the Universe to send you whatever you fear.

Instead if you can get yourself into feelings of joy, love, appreciation or gratitude, and focus on bringing more of that into your life, you are going to avoid the negative stuff automatically.

You will be choosing a different TIMELINE with your feelings.

You can prevent getting anthrax or any other flu, virus, etc, by staying in these positive feelings, which maintains an incredibly strong immune system.

So here’s your protection for whatever comes: Find something to be happy about every day, and every hour if possible, moment-to- moment, even if only for a few minutes.

Categories: Ideas, Inspiration, Organizations, Science & Tech

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