Shot@Life: No mother should expect her child to die
Before a keynote presentation by Devi Thomas from the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign, the thought had never crossed my mind that somewhere…out there…the death of a child is so common, so expected that mothers don’t cry when one dies. At least it is true in Sudan.
Unimaginable.
In a world where a 10-minute drive and a $20 copay provide my children with life-saving vaccinations, it’s hard to believe one child dies every 20 seconds from a disease that could have been prevented with an inexpensive vaccine.
One child.
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UN Foundation’s Shot@Life trip to Tanzania
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Every 20 seconds.
We’re talking 1.5 million children…every year.
Shot@Life has started a movement to help ensure that children, no matter where they live, have access to life-saving vaccines. Without vaccines, children go unprotected from disabling and often deadly diseases like pneumonia, measles, diarrhea and polio. Fortunately vaccination efforts by organizations like Shot@Life are making a difference:
The Measles Initiative has vaccinated one billion children in 60 developing countries since 2001, decreasing world measles deaths by 74 percent. The world is 99 percent polio-free, and polio eradication is within reach.
A new oral vaccine for cholera, now made in India, will soon be more widely available to protect children under 5 for just $1 a dose. That’s the price of a large Diet Coke from McDonald’s.
I’m willing to give up a my drinking habit for a worthy cause. Anyone care to join me?
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My little Livi is starting kindergarten this year. Imagine if half of all kindergarten children in the U.S. didn’t show up for school the first day. That is about the number of children dying every year from preventable diseases in developing countries.
It’s a very sobering statistic.
Those kinds of statistics get me thinking about my children’s lives compared to the lives of children in developing countries. Take last night for example. As I heard the sounds of fun and frolic from the upstairs bathroom indicating a nighttime bubble bath, I realized this milestone—a baby’s first real bubble bath, mountains of bubbly goodness included—would be missed by a million and a half children this year.
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Sometimes when I think of it that way I feel utterly and completely helpless. Even with all the money and resources in the world, I can’t protect every child.
But I can give quite a few a shot at life. And that’s a start.
If you’re ready to do the same, here’s how you can get involved:
- Visit Shot@Life.org to learn more about the campaign.
- Make a donation ($20 gives a child a lifetime of immunity from pneumonia, diarrhea, polio and measles but you can donate as little as $5).
- “Like” Shot@Life on Facebook.
- Follow Shot@Life on Twitter.
- Follow Shot@Life on Pinterest (love the infographics board).
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You can also participate in Blogust 2012: Blog Relay for Good. For every day through the month of August, one blogger will post an inspirational piece. For every comment you make during the blog relay, $20 is donated to Shot@Life to immunize a child in a developing country.
One comment = one more shot at life.
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Feel free to “like” is this REALLY my life? on Facebook. It won’t always earn you an extra entry in a giveaway but it will give you warm fuzzies.
Don’t forget to sign up for free is this REALLY my life? updates via RSS or email so you don’t miss a single awesome post.
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You can read more about the inspiration for this site 
What a great cause! Thank you for sharing this.
Aimee´s deep thought ~ A good, hard, laugh!
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Emily Hill Reply:
July 22nd, 2012 at 12:03 am
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Emily Hill´s deep thought ~ Gettin’ my Rolo McFlurry on & other fun stuff
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I can’t wait for Blogust. You are so great to bring more attention to this.
~j.´s deep thought ~ T-Mobile Summer Safety Event
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Emily Hill Reply:
July 22nd, 2012 at 12:03 am
I am super excited about it too!
Emily Hill´s deep thought ~ Costa Vida’s sweet baja shrimp tacos {GIVEAWAY}
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Your first paragraph made me cry…thanks a lot! He was so inspiring and I cried durin most of his presentation. Thanks for this post. Very incredible and informative
Vanessa Barker´s deep thought ~ {Giveaway} Swag Bag
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Emily Hill Reply:
July 22nd, 2012 at 12:04 am
I think we were all pretty teary eyed during that keynote. It was simply amazing and inspiring and humbling.
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I love that we can spread the word on this. Such a lovely post!
Lindsey P.´s deep thought ~ A Lesson Well Learned
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Emily Hill Reply:
July 22nd, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Me too! And thank you!
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I am SO glad you took this blogging challenge …it is HARD to do and a HARD topic to address.
I seriously sobbed through the entire keynote at EVO and had chills when they said they would donate $20 for every comment during Blogust. ARE YOU SERIOUS.
Amazing post, Em!
Lindsey from therhouse.com´s deep thought ~ How to be a Superhero
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Emily Hill Reply:
July 22nd, 2012 at 9:43 pm
That and Derreck’s keynotes had me teary eyed the entire time. And you better believe I’m commenting during Blogust!
Emily Hill´s deep thought ~ Costa Vida’s sweet baja shrimp tacos {GIVEAWAY}
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Thank you for letting us know. so sad so many chikdren go without
we are so blessed in this country
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Emily Hill Reply:
July 22nd, 2012 at 9:43 pm
We are definitely blessed in this country. Makes my heart happy for us but sad for others not as lucky.
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This post made me cry. We are so fortunate and don’t appreciate it nearly enough. Thanks for showing a way I can contribute just a little and help so much.
AnneMarie´s deep thought ~ The night we were converted to bicycle helmets
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Emily Hill Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 5:11 pm
That’s the best part–it only takes a little to change a life.
Emily Hill´s deep thought ~ The indoor s’more & “s’more” fun ideas
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You are giving up your PDRs?
Poverty is very real and very heartbreaking. Out here the mothers were telling me their takes on vaccines. Many of them don’t believe at the public clinic that they get the “real stuff” and worry where it comes from. So then they don’t do it or don’t take their other kids.
vanessa´s deep thought ~ Beauty of Granada, Nicaragua
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Emily Hill Reply:
January 29th, 2013 at 2:39 pm
Um, heck no. I’m going to do both. Those PDRs are what help me get so much done.
Thank you for the insight on mothers there in Costa Rica. I never thought they might question the validity of the vaccines they are getting. I’ll definitely have to mention that at the summit. If you have any other comments from the women there, I’d love to hear them.
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