HEROIC: 2.4 million babies saved by one humble man

Monday, March 10, 2025

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y4xqe60gyo?ICID=ref_fark

Australian whose blood saved 2.4 million babies dies
13 hours ago << EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-03-03>>
Kelly Ng BBC News

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One of the world’s most prolific blood donors – whose plasma saved the lives of more than 2 million babies – has died.

James Harrison died in his sleep at a nursing home in New South Wales, Australia on 17 February, his family said on Monday. He was 88.

Known in Australia as the man with the golden arm, Harrison’s blood contained a rare antibody, Anti-D, which is used to make medication given to pregnant mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies.

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service who paid tribute to Harrison, said he had pledged to become a donor after receiving transfusions while undergoing a major chest surgery when he was 14.

He started donating his blood plasma when he was 18 and continued doing so every two weeks until he was 81.

*** end quote ***

We need more of these silent heroes.  Where do we get Anti-D?

I started donating blood in College.  I remember that the Christian Brothers really publicized the need.  Most were WWII and or Korean War vets and could really make us understand how important it was.  I remember one of them teaching “Engineering Measurements” saying that we were probably too dumb to be good engineers but probably smart enough to bleed correctly.  It was a big joke when we reported that we did “bleed well enough”.

Later in my life, when my sainted wife was mysteriously “loosing platelets”, she was getting four bags of them every week.  One of her last wishes was that I replace them.  I did and then some until I “aged out”.  Who knew that “old platelets” didn’t help those in need?

Anyway, I hope that everyone who can donates.  Maybe you might have the “golden arm”!

What a privilege to save lives.

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DISCOURAGING: Pink and blue pigeons; as if balloons weren’t bad enough for the wildlife

Thursday, September 19, 2024

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1d71p2xqkgo?utm_placement=newsletter

Blue pigeon mystifies town’s residents
4 days ago   <<  2024-09Sep-06 >>
Charlotte Andrews
BBC News

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Several sightings of a blue pigeon wandering around a town’s streets have baffled residents.

The bird has been photographed by a number of people in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Some locals insisted the bird’s unique plumage looked natural.

But wildlife experts suggested it could have been dyed for a gender-reveal party – a tradition where expectant couples learn the sex of their baby using pink or blue items.

*** and ***

Rebecca Machin, from the RSPCA’s wildlife team, warned dye could cause birds health problems, impair their ability to fly and make them more vulnerable to predators.

“Dye and paints can be toxic to birds and other animals, and they would be likely to try to clean any such substance from their coat or feathers which could result in them swallowing it,” she said.

She also said she feared social media trends could be fuelling the behaviour.

“We suspect this pigeon’s feathers have been painted – something we seem to be hearing about more and more, including – anecdotally – at events like gender reveal parties,” she said.

*** end quote ***

Oh come on people, leave the wildlife alone.  

Balloons are bad enough for power lines, birds, and fish.  Now you have to maim some poor birds.

How about you stick to exploding blue or pink powder packs?  At least, you can only hurt yourself.

Argh!

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GOVERNACIDE: UK woman killed by Gooferment “health care”

Saturday, February 24, 2024

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-68310754?ICID=ref_fark

999: Leicestershire woman dies at home hours after calling for ambulance
By Samantha Noble  — BBC News, East Midlands

*** begin quote ***

Janet Lyon died from pneumonia

A 67-year-old woman died trying to get through to her GP surgery three hours after calling for an ambulance which was not sent.

Janet Lyon, from Leicestershire, was struggling to breathe on 27 December.

She was told to go to a walk-in centre or her GP by a 999 call handler after it was determined she had an urgent problem which was not life-threatening.

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) apologised but found the 999 call was handled appropriately.

It added the service was experiencing “high demand” at the time.

Ms Lyon’s daughter Katie Keating put in a formal complaint to EMAS and said she was “enraged” at the response. 

*** end quote ***

Here we have a classic example of Gooferment “service”.  “We are too busy for you.”

Well that got rid of a pensioner and save the Gooferment lots of money.  No mater that she “drowned” alone.

In a profit making enterprise, they’d have adequate staff or alternative arrangements.  “Like you’re ambulatory and not a class 1 emergency, let’s call you a taxi to the ER.”

But no, politicians and bureaucrats have their own incentive structure and we ain’t in it.

Can you imagine a politician getting this response.  I can’t.

Argh!

How does “We, The Sheeple” allow Gooferment into such important functions?

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INTERESTING: Dog leads to cat; rescue

Friday, November 17, 2023

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-67349494?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter

Dog leads owner to cat stuck 100ft down Cornish mine shaft
Published  —  5 days ago (EDITOR’S NOTE: 08 Nov 2023)

Daisy alerted her owner to Mowgli’s predicament

By Christine Butler & Charlotte Cox  — BBC News

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A lucky cat was rescued by firefighters after falling 100ft (30m) down a mineshaft in Cornwall – and it was all thanks to a quick-thinking dog.

After six days of searching, Mowgli’s owner Michele Rose said she had “almost given up hope” of finding her missing pet.

But she said she saw her dog Daisy “going berserk”, running in and out of woods near their home in Harrowbarrow.

Daisy’s intervention led to the rescue of her feline friend, Ms Rose said.

*** end quote ***

Stories like this prompt two reactions on my part:

1) It’s good practice for a child rescue; and

2) What was done to prevent a child from falling in the same hole?

Inquiring minds want to know.

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PEACE: Ethiopia’s Tigray truce — always a good thing

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63490546

Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict: Truce agreed

  • Redwan Hussien Rameto (L) from the Ethiopian government, and Getachew Reda (R), who represents Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), shook hands on the deal.

By Cecilia Macaulay & Anne Soy
BBC News

*** begin quote ***

Tigray Truce

Ethiopian officials and representatives from the country’s northern Tigray region agreed to a truce yesterday, suspending a bloody civil war that included accusations of war crimes, genocide, and attacks against international aid workers. The deal came one day ahead of the two-year anniversary of the conflict.

Governed by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, Tigray accounts for just 6% of Ethiopia’s population but has historically enjoyed outsized influence among the country’s many ethnic groups (see 101). The rise of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018 led to a shift toward nationalized politics and away from regional blocs of power, triggering tensions with Tigrayan leaders that spiraled into open conflict in 2020.

Some estimates place the death toll from the conflict near 500,000, with more than 5 million residents displaced and hundreds of thousands of civilians succumbing to famine.

*** end quote ***

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9, NIV).

Now let’s send the brokers to Ukraine and Russia.

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