Last week, on October 24, 2012, I was contacted via email by Ana Flores, founder of Latina Bloggers Connect. She invited me to a Twitter chat that was going to take place later that day. The topic of the twitter chat was World Polio Day, (#WPDchat) and it was going to being hosted by Shot@Life. I was introduced to the Shot@Life folks when I attended my first blogger’s conference, (Blogalicious ’12) back in September. Shot@Life is a movement to protect children worldwide by providing life-saving vaccines where they are most needed.
Did you know vaccines make life possible. Without vaccines; children are vulnerable to deadly and disabling diseases like measles, pneumonia, diarrhea and polio-to name a few. Unfortunately, around the world, one in five children still lack access to the life-saving immunizations that help keep children in the U.S. healthy. One child dies every 20 seconds from a disease that could be prevented with a vaccine. By expanding access to vaccines, we can prevent 1.5 million child deaths each year.
For just one $50 donation to Shot@Life, 50 kids can be immunized. FIFTY! Can you imagine saving the lives of 50 children for just $50…$1 per child?!
I quickly emailed Ana Flores back, and told her I would love to attend the twitter chat. I shared with her how one of my uncles contracted Polio as a baby and the hardships he has had to endure as a result. She suggested I write a post about it, so I did. You can read my post here. After I finished writing the post, I emailed a copy to Ana.
When it came time for the online chat, I was eager to learn more about World Polio Day and what Shot@Life was doing to help eradicate Polio from the face of the earth. I heard many inspiring stories and learned that we are very near to wiping out Polio forever. Ana Flores, shared my post about my uncle, with the folks at Shot@Life. The twitter chat was very informative and I was glad I attended.
After the chat was over, I received an unexpected email from Ana. She told me the Shot@Life folks wanted to contact me about becoming a Shot@Life Champion! What?! I was in shock, I was freaking out! {Freaking with a capitol F!} No way?! I was shaking, I was on the verge of tears…I was filled with so many emotions. I knew that as I sat in my home, a delegation of 12 women, Shot@Life Champions, were in Uganda. (One of them is a fellow Blogalicious attendee, LaShaun Martin!) They are there to see first hand what Shot@Life is doing & how they are helping to save lives. (Please see video posted below.)
After getting over the initial shock of Ana’s email, I waited…waited for Shot@Life to contact me. I will admit, I was very impatient. What if they change their mind? What if they forget about me…so many “what-ifs” ran through my mind. I reached out to Ana Flores, who was attending the LATISM ’12 conference in Houston, TX., and she got back to me (Gracias, Ana!) and reassured me that the Shot@Life people were very busy but not to worry, it was all good. And you know what? It was! The following day, I was contacted by Shot@Life, they thanked me for participating in the World Polio Day twitter chat and invited me to become a Shot@Life Champion! Me! Mommy Powers! As I read that email, tears began to flow. I was overcome with emotion. Helping people, especially women and children is so very important to me. The older I get, the more I realize I need to help others. I want to help others, I want to be there for others, in any way I can.
I was also reminded of my Abuela, my Grandmother…whom I never got to meet. My Abuela Hortencia passed away when my mother was just 5 years old, of Tuberculosis. My Mom & my Tia (who was just 6 month’s old) were both raised by my Great-Grandmother. Tuberculosis stole my Abuela from me. I am doing this in memory of her. When I go for my Shot@Life Champion training in Washington, DC next year-I know my Abuela Hortencia will be right there with me!
I have started an Indiegogo.com campaign to try to raise money for Shot@Life before I go for training. I would love to be able to present them with a check when I arrive in DC! Please visit my campaign here & donate if you can. Please share it also. Thanks!
Shot@Life believes every child – no matter where they are born, has a right to life-saving immunizations, so they have a shot at life! I believe that too, and I am honored to be part of such an amazing organization. When I started this blog a little over a year ago, I had no idea I would be afforded an opportunity like this. I would like to thank Ana Flores, for inviting me to the World Polio Day chat last week, and for forwarding my blog post to Shot@Life. I know she played a major role in them contacting me. I am so thankful I took the time to attend that chat. You never know when you are going to be blessed, just for trying to help others.
I look forward to working with Shot@Life, and I will be sharing with you all along the way!
