The Squid Calendar

March is National Kidney Month.  This topic is near and dear to my heart, as my mother has suffered renal failure and now requires dialysis.  You never really appreciate your kidneys until they stop working.

Three times a week, for four hours at a time, my Mom sits in a dialysis center attached to a machine whose job it is to clean her blood.  She cannot drive herself home, and in fact, she can’t do much of anything after dialysis until the next morning – it simply wipes her out.  Her diet has become strict – the standard Renal diet which means to minimize phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and fluids.  Do YOU know which foods have a lot of phosphorus?  It is not an easy diet to learn or keep.  And, for those who also have diabetes, it is a huge burden.

My Mom is not alone.  There are over a dozen sitting in the same room as her, and thousands more sitting in other dialysis centers.  In fact, in 2006, there were over a 350,000 people on dialysis in the United States alone. (source)

Let me introduce you to some people who think a lot about kidneys.

Boomer27 knows all to well the importance of the kidney. He explains how he has struggled with his kidney failure: How Fragile Life Can Be .

Matthew is a little boy with diabetes. He is fighting to keep his kidneys healthy. Read about Matthew’s Journey.

GramaBarb‘s sister, AnnaRuth, had to undergo dialysis. Kidney Dialysis – Finding Support. Dedicated to my sister, AnnaRuth

ConnieW was a living kidney donor to her cousin who was born with Polycystic Kidneys.

(Photo by shanelkalicharan)

February 6 is International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. An estimated 100-140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting and more than 3 million girls are at risk for cutting each year in Africa alone.  (source)

The Asante Africa Foundation recently hosted Maasai tribal chief Salaton Ole’ Ntutu who built a rescue shelter to protect young girls from female genital mutilation.

February 5, 2010 – Go Red for Women!

Today is National Wear Red Day sponsored by the American Heart Association. This is an day of awareness about the the impact of heart disease on women.

Heart disease is by far the biggest killer of women in the United States.  Indications of heart disease display themselves differently in men and women.  Learn more about heart disease in women:

National Wear Red Day: Heart Disease Awareness

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. Every day, thousands find out they have cancer.  Every day, thousands live with cancer.  And, every day, thousands die from cancer.

But, many are doing all they can to stop it.  This group of artists sell their art and contribute the proceeds to cancer related charities.

Art for Cancer Group by CaseyShannonStudio

These are the Squidoo charities that aid people with cancer, awareness, and cancer research:

• Athletes for a Cure
• DonnaBella’s Angels
• Michael’s Way
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

January is National Blood Donor Month.  Volunteer blood donation is crucial to the thousands that receive blood each year.  Both my mother and my sister have had to receive blood, and I am very thankful to the generous people who donated.  I myself am a donor, and I hope that , if able, you are as well.

Giving Blood by LonnieScott
The American Red Cross by Vacation-In-My-Head

Also, JohannTheDog shares the importance of dog blood donation.

Today kicks off National Handwashing Awareness Week (December 6-12, 2009). Take this time to remember the importance of handwashing, and to teach your children how to wash their hands properly, when to wash their hands, and why it is so important.

Mylittlescholar has a great place to start: Germs, Germs, Germs – An interactive guide for children and hand washing.

(photo by gabyu)

The economy has gone bad, the world is at war, but even though it is not discussed on the evening news as much as it used to be HIV/AIDS has not gone away.  It is still here.  It still kills millions.  It still ruins lives.

EchoTarpeian‘s lens has some harsh statistics to prove it: Presently Over 33 Million People Living with AIDS.

Donnette introduces us to many children in Africa who know too well the destruction of this disease: Outreach Africa ~Bringing Hope To Africa’s Aids Orphans

What can YOU do for World AIDS Day?  Here are a few ideas:

(photo by Sham Hardy)

The Great American Smokeout gives Americans a reason to encourage people to quit smoking, encourage kids not to start smoking, and to encourage a healthy smoke-free lifestyle.

Check out these Lung Cancer Pictures by Megal – they aren’t pretty.

Also, join into this debate discussing if smoking should be banned in ALL public places by Christene.

(photo by Mykl Roventine)

According to The March of Dimes, every year, 20 million babies are born too soon, too small and very sick ― half a million of them in the United States.  Premature birth is the number one cause of death during the first month of life.

Today I am blogging on behalf of Baby Jerry, once a premature baby, and now a happy toddler.

Learn more about Prematurity Awareness Month – Sponsored by the March of Dimes in this lens by Comfortdoc

(Photo by jdsmith1021)

It is estimated that 23.6 million people have diabetes, 5.7 million of which are undiagnosed. Cases of diabetes have doubled from 1990 to 2005.  (source)

Diabetes is serious and it kills.  I encourage everyone to read the story of Mary Kathryn who lost her battle with diabetes before she even knew she was battling it:

Sudden Onset Juvenile Diabetes

Thank you, Christene, for sharing her story.

Consider building your own lens to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

(Photo by Diabetes Action)