Health & Wellness

Wheelchaired Rapper Inspires

batch — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:05:25 -0600

While some rappers tend to talk about gang life and violence, one teen is putting a positive spin on the music genre by using his experience living with muscular dystrophy as inspiration for his lyrics.

Austin Puckett, a teenager from Springboro, Ohio, is used to wowing the crowd with his musical gift, although he admits that some people may be a bit skeptical when he takes the stage, according to the Dayton Daily News.

Volunteers Send Christmas Cheer

batch — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:05:06 -0600

Thousands of families have rallied around 7-year-old Nate Elfrink to make sure he has a Merry Christmas, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Elfrink was diagnosed with a brain tumor when he was 20 months old. After three surgeries, numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, the tumor kept coming back.

Strangers Help Terminal Teenager Restore his Dream Car

batch — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:10:25 -0600

When Tyler Shipman was diagnosed with terminal synovial sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, he was worried he would never get the chance to restore his beloved Pontiac Fiero, according to the Star Tribune.

Shipman took to a popular online forum for Fiero-heads and asked for help with restoring his car before he passed.

People immediately responded offering parts, money and help. A sergeant stationed in Iraq even offered to help Shipman restore the car upon his return in January.

High School Student Recruits His Friends for Cancer Walk

batch — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:05:07 -0600

Watching his mother from the sidelines as she completed a three-day walk while living with cancer is what inspired 16-year-old Sean Feeney to do the same.

Now that he's of age, ABC News reports that Feeney recruited 11 of his friends to form Team Impact. The group will walk in the 60-mile event and has hopes of raising $30,000, with 85 percent of the total profits of the event going towards Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

My Son, the Chef!

mcherkezian — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:14:02 -0500

The summer that my brother Erik and I were 10 and 12 respectively, my mom decreed that once a week we would each cook the family dinner. We could choose the menu and she’d help us make it.

Dogs of Peace

jbloustein — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:53:25 -0500

Graduation Day! The assembly room at Children’s Village, a New York residential center for at-risk teens, was crowded with spectators.

All eyes were on the graduates: four large dogs—two yellow Labs, a black Lab, and a golden retriever—and four wounded veterans who’d served in Iraq and Afghanistan. My own gaze kept shifting, though, to the 12 teenage boys from the Village who, for the past year, had been training the dogs for this moment.

Everyone Plays

admin — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 08:40:00 -0500

Diane Alford goes to a lot of little league games near her hometown of Smyrna, Georgia. But she doesn't care who wins or loses. She doesn't have a favorite team and she doesn't argue with the ump.

All that really matters to her is that the players have fun, stay happy, and above all, that they feel just like any other kid.

Young Musician Sings for 4-Year-Old Cancer Patient

batch — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:05:09 -0500

Abby Miller of Ashburn, Virginia is only 12 years old, but she wants to use her young voice to make a difference.

The young girl plays her guitar and sings in front of Washington, D.C.'s Union Station, asking passersby to donate any extra cash to help the family of 4-year-old Taylor Love, who is living with cancer.

Young Cancer Patient Gets Her Wish

batch — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:05:11 -0500

Kindergartner Gisselle Gonzalez has lived with a brain tumor since August 2007. Still, the little girl has a love of learning and wants nothing more than to continue attending school.

Although doctors say her prognosis is not good, Gisselle told her mother she wants to keep going to school—a positive attitude that many in the community have found inspiring, the Today Show reports.

Young Amputee Helps Others Get Prosthetics

jbloustein — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:41:41 -0500

In 2005, 16-year-old Jordan Thomas was in the hospital undergoing several surgeries to his legs, which had been injured in a freak scuba diving accident.

While he was there, he was touched by some of the other kids' stories, particularly those who did not have the money or parental support to get the care they needed.

Although Thomas lost both of his legs from the calf down, his time in the hospital gave him a new purpose: helping needy children get prosthetics that can change their lives for the better.