Did you know that every 20 seconds a child dies from a vaccine preventable death?
Photo credited to UN Foundation.
That is about the time it takes to read the first paragraph of this post. A life has gone that could have been saved by a mere $20. The cost of buying two tickets to a movie, a bottle of wine or a birthday present for a child. That is it. But to many people around the world, that is everything.
Over the last two days I had the honor of attending the UN Foundation’s Summit as a Shot@Life Champion who in the coming months will be one of 45 citizens across the nation championing this great cause in saving lives around the world. Through raising awareness and funds for four life-saving vaccines, it is our hope that we can galvanize the nation so that no child around the world will not have a Shot@Life. A shot to reach these important milestones that many of us Americans take for granted.
So why does it matter? I can tell you exactly why.
Imagine giving each child around the world something that many on us in the western world takes for granted: A shot at life.
A shot to….
Give your parents a first smile.
Take your first steps.
Give a hug and kiss goodnight.
Say your first words.
Celebrate your first birthday and reach the next.
Read your first books.
Ask your first question.
Loose your first tooth.
These are the first’s for my children that I want to help give to every child around the world:
Max’s first breakfast of solid foods: 3 months
Max’s morning smiles: 4 months
Max’s first summer: 6 months
Sophia’s first day
Sophia’s first “car” ride: 6 months.
Max and Sophia’s first meeting with their Great Grandfather
Imagine a world where these firsts were available to any child no matter where he or she lived.
Imagine a world where each child had a shot at life.
This is the hope and mission of the UN Foundation’s new campaign, Shot@Life. In the next few months, I plan to bring you along with me on this journey at saving millions of children who die from preventable diseases. To give them the Shot@Life they deserve.
How can you help? Follow me on this journey. Share these posts with others. Spread the word. And you can help save lives too!
What do you think every child should have a shot at?
To learn more about Shot@Life, please visit their website and sign up!!!
Reblogged this on by my side.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!
What an AMAZING post! I do not have children, so I really have not thought about this before. However, I know my mom made sure we received our shots growing up. You got me thinking now:) Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for your kind words! Writing this post for me brought it all straight to my heart. I can’t imagine not helping other moms have what I’ve been able to cherish: A shot at reaching these amazing milestones in life!
GREAT post, Nicole! What an important message!
Hugs,
Kathy
I love this post and I especially enjoyed that you shared photos of your own children in those milestone moments. We snap photos to mark each of these precious memories, fortunate enough not to have to worry about our children falling vicitim to dangerous and deadly diseases. In the US, we have the luxury of vaccines to help protect our children and most of us have the means to spare $20 so that we can provide a child with a healthy life and a mother with a life free from worry.
I’m so glad that you are part of this movement, as I know that this message is in good hands! I can already hear you shouting from the mountaintops!
Christine: Thank you so much for the lovely comments! It was a pleasure to meet you and I am so excited to join in on this movement! Yes, I will indeed be spreading the word as much as I can and even from mountaintops! Take care! Keep in touch!
Nicole,
I teared reading this!!! This post is fantastic!!! I love the pictures of your kids. 🙂
Jen 🙂
And, thank you for joining me at the Shot@Life Volunteer Summit! Together, we can give more kids a shot at life!! 🙂 I’m so excited about this movement!!
Jen 🙂
Jen, thank you so much for inviting me!!!! It was amazing and I would never have had this opportunity if it wasn’t for you!
Thanks Jen! That was the effect I was hoping to create!
Nicole – this is pretty much what our campaign is all about. Your writing is so beautiful – as are your children!!
Thank you Caroline for your kind words! Obviously the summit greatly impacted me! I can’t wait to start making a difference!!!!