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"Truly remarkable": Outpouring of love for orphaned infants of bus crash victims

Generous Australians have opened their hearts and wallets to show their support for the two orphaned children of Andrew and Lynan Scott. The Scotts were onboard the bus that crashed in the Hunter Valley and were killed, along with eight others, leaving behind two sons, aged two and four. Since the devastating crash, family friends Sean and Paula Mewing set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/Support-the-sons-of-Andrew-and-Lynan-Scott" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page for the young boys from Singleton in northern NSW, with the staggering sum reaching almost $300,000 in just over a week. The page's stated goal was $300,000 to 'to assist in providing ongoing support for the sons' of the Scotts, with more than 2,300 donations making up a total sum of $287,000. Despite the page almost reaching the target, the families of Andrew and Lynan said the page would "remain open in weeks, months and years ahead" to "support these boys in any endeavour they wish to pursue". In an update posted on Sunday, the families of Andrew and Lynan thanked page visitors for "all the love and support you all have shown in the past week either via donations and/or messages on this page, it is truly remarkable." In the messages section, tributes flowed from friends, family and colleagues of the deceased couple. "I worked with Andrew and he was one of the most genuinely sweet men I’ve ever met," one person wrote. "We were usually the first 2 there in the morning and he always had a happy smile and a hello for me! He won’t be forgotten." Another said, "Thank you Lynan and Andrew for being part of my life and sharing your family with me." "I will be forever grateful that our paths crossed. We hope to be there to support the boys in the years to come. Much love to their families now and forever." Image credits: GoFundMe

Caring

People thinking of voluntary assisted dying may be able to donate their organs. We need to start talking about this

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-ray-1441988">Robert Ray</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> The number of people needing an organ transplant vastly outweighs the number of organs available. <a href="https://www.donatelife.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/OTA%202022%20Donation%20and%20Transplantation%20Activity%20Report.pdf">In 2022</a> there were about 1,800 Australians waiting for an organ but only about 1,200 people received an organ transplant. But in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.16085">a recent paper</a>, I outline one unexplored option for increasing the number of potential organ donors in Australia – transplanting organs from people undergoing voluntary assisted dying. This would involve transplanting organs only after someone had died. It’s estimated <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2616383">about 10%</a> of people eligible for voluntary assisted dying are likely to be medically suitable to donate their organs. Based on <a href="https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/Voluntary%20Assisted%20Dying%20Review%20Board%20Report%20of%20Operations%20July%202021-June%2022_FINAL.pdf">Victorian figures</a> alone, this could lead to about an extra 40 potential organ donors each year. This type of organ donation has taken place <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9297969/">for more than 20 years</a> in Europe, and more recently in Canada. Organs transplanted from donors undergoing voluntary assisted dying <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2769118">have</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.16267">similar</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.16971">success rates</a> to more traditional donations. Yet, this is a discussion we’ve yet to have in Australia. Here are some of the ethical and practical issues we need to start talking about. <h2>Is this ethical? It’s tricky</h2> The main ethical challenge is ensuring a person isn’t motivated to end their life prematurely so they can donate their organs. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">Internationally</a>, <a href="https://jme.bmj.com/content/42/8/486.short">this challenge</a> is mainly addressed by having <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1600613523000291">independent assessments</a> by multiple doctors. This is to ensure the motivation is genuine and honest, much like assessing someone before voluntary assisted dying. Similarly, it is important the doctor of someone undergoing voluntary assisted dying isn’t persuading them to donate an organ. This means any doctor overseeing voluntary assisted dying may be limited in how much they can discuss organ donation with their patient. Again, this <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">has been managed internationally</a> by having separate, independent doctors overseeing organ donation and voluntary assisted dying, <a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/44/E1305.short">without one influencing</a> the other. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Elderly woman in bed hand on covers" /></a><figcaption>Is this what people really want, with so little time left? <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-woman-laying-on-bed-hospital-1054837748">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> Organ donation may also affect the way voluntary assisted dying is conducted, which <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1600613523000291">may impact</a> participants’ very limited quality of life. That’s because determining if someone is eligible to donate an organ involves a number of <a href="https://jme.bmj.com/content/43/9/601.short">investigations</a>. These may include blood tests, radiology (imaging) and numerous clinical encounters to exclude diseases such as cancer, which would prevent someone donating their organs. These investigations may be exhausting but necessary. This burden must be weighed against the participant’s wishes and motivation to donate their organs. So people must also be informed of the impact organ donation will have on their limited life left. The choices of people considering this option must be respected and they must be given multiple opportunities to review their decision, without undue influence or bias. <h2>Practical issues: coordination, location, regulation</h2> Practically, combining organ donation and voluntary assisted dying is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">challenging</a>. This includes the difficulty organising and coordinating specialists in organ donation, voluntary assisted dying and transplantation. This is why, internationally, organ donation of this nature mostly occurs in large hospitals, where it’s easier to coordinate. So if people want to donate an organ this way, they may spend their last moments in an unfamiliar environment. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Patient being wheeled on stretcher through hospital corridors" /></a><figcaption>People may have to be moved to a large hospital with the facilities and staff on hand. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/surgeon-assistant-team-transport-move-stretcher-2062330820">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> Efforts have been made <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2776765">internationally</a> to prioritise these valuable last moments by giving people the choice of where voluntary assisted dying occurs (<a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/44/E1305.short">such as their home</a>). But this currently only occurs in a minority of cases and increases the complexity of organ donation. Regulating the process is also essential to developing a safe, trustworthy and effective program. Ideally a centralised organisation such as Australia’s national <a href="https://www.donatelife.gov.au">Organ and Tissue Authority</a> would organise, undertake and regulate this. However, this may be challenging given voluntary assisted dying practices are specific to each state. <h2>The challenges ahead</h2> If someone considering voluntary assisted dying wants to donate their organs and is deemed eligible, there is currently <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.16085">no legal barrier in Australia</a> to stop them. What might prevent them is how their doctor responds, and whether there are the services and organisations willing to fulfil this request ethically and practically. The next step in considering this form of organ donation is to discuss the prospect publicly. Every extra donated organ is potentially lifesaving. So we should make every effort to consider potential safe and ethical ways to increase donation and transplantation rates.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206298/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-ray-1441988">Robert Ray</a>, Affiliate Associate Lecturer, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credit: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-thinking-of-voluntary-assisted-dying-may-be-able-to-donate-their-organs-we-need-to-start-talking-about-this-206298">original article</a>.

Body

Indigenous artist seeking white Australian to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation

An Indigenous artist has put a call out for Australians of “British descent” to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation. Nathan Maynard, a well known Palawa artist and playwright, put an advertisement for the unusual request in the weekend edition of The Age newspaper. Maynard signed the bizarre request as a “palawa” artist: one of the terms First Nations people from Tasmania use when referring to themselves. “Palawa artist wanting to find an Australian of British descent who is willing to donate their future deceased body to an art installation,” the notice read. “The work will speak to sacrifice for past sins perpetrated against the palawa. Potential applicants should see this opportunity as an honour.” “The body and memory of the successful applicant will be treated with the utmost respect at all stages of the project.” The call-out was quick to spark backlash when it was reposted on social media, with one writing, “You can’t just obtain bodies for display in newspapers now. This is very bizarre on multiple levels.” Others questioned the legality of the request, with one person writing, “I dunno that this would be legal, tampering with a corpse is a crime! You can donate your body to medical science, but I don’t think this.” Another wrote, “Borderline psychotic, definitely completely illegal.” Despite the criticism, Mr Maynard told Daily Mail Australia that since the notice went to print, he has received half a dozen applications for their body to be used in the installation in November. The artist said if white Australians are upset by the request, they should ask themselves why they didn't have the same reaction to the mass murder of Aboriginal people. “If you’re not an Aboriginal person and you’re upset by this, I think you should ask yourself why you’re not upset that there is still First Nations remains that have been stolen from their people, stolen from their country in institutions all around the world that are still not repatriated to their own communities,” he said. Nathan said the motivation behind his installation revolves around the fact that thousands of First Nations people were killed by colonists, with their remains being sent overseas to be displayed in institutions and museums without a proper ceremony. “So many Aboriginal people's remains are still overseas. People are trying to bring their ancestors home and they are being denied that right,” Mr Maynard said. “Human bodies are very sacred and they should be treated with respect.” “Whitefellas obviously don't know how to handle remains with respect, so I'm going to show them how,” he said. The artwork has already received support from the state-funded Tasmanian Museum and Gallery and the Hobart City Council, which has donated $15,000 to the unusual installation. The artwork has been commissioned to appear as part of an exhibition for the popular Hobart Current biennial exhibition in November 2023. Image credits: Facebook / The Age

Art

“Such lowlifes”: Alleged thieves steal charity donation tin

Two people are wanted by police over the theft of a charity donation bin captured on CCTV. The footage shows a man and woman standing next to each other inside the Gold Coast’s Club Helensvale on Friday, November 25, when he allegedly steals the tin for a charity aimed at preventing youth violence. In the video, released by police in an appeal to find the pair, the man is seen subtly and slowly placing it in a bag slung across his shoulder. Police are urging the man and woman to come forward. The tin that was allegedly stolen was collecting donations for the Jack Beasley Foundation, set up after 17-year-old Jack Beasley died from being stabbed in the heart on the Gold Coast. The charity has also shared an image of the suspected thieves on social media in a bid to identify them. “Hey guys if anyone recognises these two please contact the QPS or send us a message. They stole Jacko’s Donation box from the bar at Club Helensvale on Friday night. Thanks 🙏,” the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JackBeasleyFoundation/posts/pfbid0fgzrLvGVinZfzjqEweJfTqr3RbMKvnT4qHjDcKvUW5Xw1KascA7AiAmDqToEnbqsl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> read. Followers were quick to share their anger in the comments, with some providing information about where they had seen the man before. “Such lowlifes maybe they should get a job instead of stealing from charities,” one person wrote. “I hope they get found, shame on them,” another said. One commenter even alleged that the man had committed similar acts before, stealing the “dog donation box” from the Boathouse Tavern in Coomera “the other day”. “Stealing from charity is pitiful and devious! They may have taken dollars and cents, but they have no sense,” another said. Images: Queensland Police Service

Legal

Want to lend a hand to flood victims? Here are five ways you can help

As Aussies begin the lengthy process of cleaning up and recovering following the recent floods in Victoria and NSW, many of us watching on will want to lend a helping hand. Whether you are hoping to volunteer your time or donate, there are plenty of ways to pitch in to help, including these five. Donate money Donating money is usually the most effective way to help, with the Community Enterprise Foundation, <a href="https://www.bendigobank.com.au/media-centre/victoria-flood-appeal-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bendigo Bank</a>’s charitable arm, calling for donations for flood victims which will be passed on to local charitable areas. You can also make financial donations to flood appeals that have been started by charities, including the <a href="https://www.redcross.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Cross</a>, <a href="https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Find_Help/Flood_appeal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St Vincent de Paul</a>, <a href="https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/donate/make-a-donation/donate-online/?appeal=2022floodappealhp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Salvation Army</a>, <a href="https://foodbank.raisely.com/helpnswfloodvictims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Food Bank NSW</a>, and <a href="https://events.ozharvest.org/flexischools-ozharvest?utm_campaign=flexi_schools&utm_medium=edm&utm_source=email" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OzHarvest Victoria</a>. The Victorian Farmers Federation has also started a <a href="https://www.vff.org.au/donations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disaster Relief Fund</a> to assist farmers affected by floods, with donations able to be taken over the phone on 1800 882 833 or by mailing through a cheque. Volunteer with SES If you want to get your hands dirty, you can apply to be a volunteer with the State Emergency Service (SES) in NSW or a regular volunteer with SES Victoria. As a spontaneous volunteer, members of the community can assist NSW SES during emergencies in a range of ways without a long-term commitment. These can include helping people prepare for flooding, answering phones and providing administrative support, clearing debris, or in a logistical role providing support to crews in the field, among others. By becoming a volunteer with SES Victoria, you can assist with emergency response to storms and floods and other duties. Unlike being a spontaneous volunteer, joining as a regular volunteer is a longer-term commitment. To find out more about volunteering with SES NSW or Victoria, head <a href="https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/spontaneousvolunteering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> or <a href="https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Lend a hand how you can with Emergency Support Volunteering or Blaze Aid Whether you’re handy with tools or are happy to provide social support, there’s a way you can help as a volunteer with Emergency Support Volunteering in NSW. After signing up and nominating how you want to help, the organisation passes your details to verified organisations near you. To sign up or find out more, head <a href="https://emergency.volunteer.org.au/volunteer-registration/4/nsw-floods#register" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. For Victorians looking to volunteer, <a href="https://blazeaid.com.au/donations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blaze Aid</a> is currently recruiting and assembling teams of volunteers in central Victoria. The organisation will be setting up camps from next week. Donate clothes and essentials With many victims losing their possessions, donating clothes and household items can also be a big help. <a href="https://www.givit.org.au/storms-and-flooding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GIVIT</a>, a crowd-sourced website, is open to donations of clothing, furniture, money for fuel, and vouchers for other essentials, with 11,000 items that are needed being listed. Donations of food, emergency housing and clothing can also be made through St Vincent de Paul, either as one-off or ongoing donations. Fundraise If you want to set up a fundraiser or appeal to help victims, the best way to do it is through an existing charity, which can be found through the <a href="https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACNC</a>, <a href="https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/charitable-fundraising/fundraising-for-a-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Service NSW</a>, or <a href="https://registers.consumer.vic.gov.au/frsearch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Affairs Victoria</a> websites. According to Fairtrading NSW, if you are allowed to fundraise on behalf of an authorised fundraiser, such as a charity, you won’t need to get approval. If you decide to raise funds through crowdfunding, such as using websites such as GoFundMe, you may need to apply for an authority to raise money. Image: Getty Images

Caring

Paul Green’s brain donated to science

Paul Green’s brain has been donated to the Australian Sports Brain Bank to help with science. The legendary coach and former player Paul Green was just 49 when he <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/rugby-league-icon-dead-at-49" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was found dead</a> at his home in Brisbane on August 11. It is confirmed that the father-of-two died from suicide. His family has now confirmed that his brain will be donated to the <a href="https://www.mycause.com.au/page/290298/in-memory-of-paul-green" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Sports Brain Bank</a> to help aid research into concussion-related condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - a common injury amongst NRL players due to the nature of the game. "In memory of our beloved Paul, we ask that you support the pioneering work of the Australian Sports Brain Bank,” their post read. "Paul was known for always looking out for others. We are proud that part of his legacy will be looking out for the brain health of all others involved in the game that he loved. "Amanda, Emerson and Jed." They are hoping to raise $150,000 to help with the research. Michael Buckland, the director of the Australian Sports Brain Bank, thanked Green’s family for their donation. "This is an incredibly generous donation and will be an invaluable part of our research into the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts in sport and elsewhere," he said. "We at the Australian Sports Brain Bank are blown away by the fact that in their time of grief, Amanda and the rest of the family thought of how they could help others." Green had an incredible NRL career, playing 162 first grade matches between 1994-2004 and winning the prestigious Rothmans Medal in 1995 as the game's best and fairest. He played for several different clubs including Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, North Queensland Cowboys, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels and the Brisbane Broncos. Green eventually swapped his playing boots to coaching ones as he took on the North Queensland Cowboys from 2014-2020. If you would like to donate to the research, click <a href="https://www.mycause.com.au/page/290298/in-memory-of-paul-green" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. If you are experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">lifeline.org.au</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/">beyondblue.org.au</a>. Image: Australian Sports Brain Bank

Body

How Heath Ledger inspired Johnny Depp’s donation to Australian hospital

Johnny Depp has made a significant donation to an Australian children’s hospital, as part of a larger $1.17 million gift to charities around the world. The sum comes from the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) - digital assets that represent real-life products such as art and video games - which Depp raised through his NFT community, Never Fear Truth. Depp’s donation will be split between the Perth Children’s Hospital, UK-based Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and Robert Downey Jr’s Footprint Coalition, which fundraises for non-profit organisations that focus on environmental sustainability. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/PCHFWA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PCHFWA</a> Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation (via CAF America)<a href="https://twitter.com/GOSHCharity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GOSHCharity</a> Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (via CAF America)<a href="https://twitter.com/fp_coalition?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fp_coalition</a> The Footprint Coalition<a href="https://twitter.com/ChildrensLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChildrensLA</a> The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) — Never Fear Truth (@JohnnyDeppNFT) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnnyDeppNFT/status/1544413863839514625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2022</a></blockquote> “Johnny Depp’s Never Fear Truth NFT sale was always intended to benefit charities and we are pleased to be able to confirm that nearly $800,000 ($AUD 1.17 million) in total donations have been contributed,” Never Fear Truth tweeted. The Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation issued a statement thanking the actor for his donation. “Thank you so much for your generosity in helping support PCHFWA and WA sick kids,” the organisation wrote on Twitter. “These funds will make a significant impact in helping keep (Perth Children’s Hospital) world-class for our children and families.” Many fans praised Depp’s acts of kindness, and it turns out that his choice to support the West Australian hospital is particularly special. Part of the money raised through Depp’s NFT community came from the sale of an NFT depicting his painting of late actor Heath Ledger, who grew up in Perth. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbkRwlgDle1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbkRwlgDle1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Never Fear Truth (@johnnydeppnft)</a> </div> </blockquote> Carrie Robinson, the CEO of PCHFWA, told The West Australian that Ledger’s family had nominated the hospital as the recipient of the money raised from the painting’s sale. “It’s great to see the legacy of Heath Ledger continuing to make an impact on the WA community,” Robinson said. Other paintings included in the sale include portraits of Depp, his daughter Lily Rose, his friend and late actor River Phoenix, and Hollywood legends such as Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and Elizabeth Taylor. “I’ve always used art to express my feelings and to reflect on those who matter most to me, like my family, friends and people I admire,” Depp said when he offered his paintings publicly for the first time. “My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. “No-one should ever limit themselves.” Images: Getty Images / Instagram

Caring

Man donates blood an incredible 600 times

A man has made an extraordinary accomplishment of saving more than 1,800 lives after donating blood 600 times. Bruce from Port Macquarie was egged on by his Aunty Mary after she had donated blood 70 times saying he would not be able to do as much as she did. But, Bruce being Bruce, he decided to accept his aunt's challenge and went ahead to donate blood. “My Aunty Mary told me she had done 70 donations, and that I would never catch her,” he said. “Smart lady, that one and the challenge was accepted.” Bruce, 60, now skateboards to an Australian Red Cross donation centre every fortnight to give generously. Since starting his blood donation, Bruce has become the first person in Port Macquarie – and one of only 60 people in Australia – to have donated blood a whopping 600 times. All those blood donations have contributed to saving the lives of up to 1,800 people including new mothers, babies, cancer patients and trauma sufferers. When asked for advice and encouragement on the process of donating, Bruce explained that it was a rewarding experience. “The vampires at [Lifeblood] are lovely and it doesn't hurt much at all, so I encourage others to put something back, roll up your sleeves and save a life,” he said. Bruce commended his Aunty Mary, saying that without her support he would not have reached the incredible milestone. Image: Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

Body

Prince Charles denies wrongdoing for reportedly accepting bags of cash

Prince Charles reportedly accepted a suitcase containing €1 million ($AUD 1.52 million) in cash from a Qatari sheikh in 2015, according to recent reports - and it is one of three payments that will be reviewed by the UK’s Charity Commission. According to The Sunday Times, the senior royal received a total of €3 million ($AUD 4.57 million) from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar, between 2011 and 2015. Clarence House has denied that there was any wrongdoing in Charles’ acceptance of the money as charity donations and said the money was “passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate covenants and assured us that all the correct processes were followed”. On one occasion, Charles reportedly received €1 million in carrier bags from high-end grocer Fortnum & Mason. At another, in 2015, Charles accepted another €1 million in a holdall during a one-on-one meeting at Clarence House. Two advisors from the royal household reportedly counted the cash by hand, which was said to be made up of now-discontinued €500 notes, which earned the nickname “bin Laden” because of links to funding terrorism, per <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/prince-charles-denies-any-wrongdoing-over-bags-of-cash-claim/0face1c8-1ebb-4139-a91c-9c9aa0dee13c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a>. The money was understood to have been collected by private bank Coutts, with each payment being deposited into the accounts of the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Fund (PWCF). As the prince’s meetings with Hamad were private, they don’t appear in the Court Circular - the official record of court engagements - but they do raise questions about how much Charles knew about the cash and where it came from. Sir Ian Cheshire, the chairman of PWCF, said on Friday that “there was no failure of governance” in relation to the organisation receiving the funds. “At a few hours’ notice from The Sunday Times, we have checked into this event in the past, and confirm that the previous trustees of PWCF discussed the governance and donor relationship, (confirming that the donor was a legitimate and verified counterparty) and our auditors signed off on the donation after a specific enquiry during the audit. There was no failure of governance.” After confirming that he was referring to the 2015 payment, Sir Cheshire added: “I believe the same assurance applied to earlier donations and look forward to confirming that in due course.” Though there is no suggestion that the payments were illegal, a Charity Commission spokesperson said on Sunday that they will be reviewed by the Commission. “We are aware of reports about donations received by the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Foundation,” they said in a statement. “We will review the information to determine whether there is any role for the Commission in this matter.” It comes as London police continue to investigate a separate allegation that the prince’s top aide, Michael Fawcett, offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure a knighthood and British citizenship if he donated to The Prince’s Foundation, another of Charles’ charities. Fawcett resigned from his role as chief executive of the foundation in light of the allegations. “We are disappointed not to have been given more time to look into this matter, which dates from a decade ago,” Clarence House said in relation to reports from The Sunday Times. “In the few hours we have had on a Saturday, we have confirmed that Charitable donations were received from sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, and these were passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed.” Image: @clarencehouse (Instagram)

Legal

Billionaire couple’s huge donation

Billionaires Lindsay and Paula Fox have donated a massive $100 million to the new National Gallery Victoria building. Known as one of Victoria’s wealthiest families, the trucking magnate made the donation in honour for his 85th birthday on Tuesday. Lindsay confessed that his wife Paula suggested the donation to the gallery and he said he could not say no after being married for 62 years. "She said I want some money for the gallery.. then she told me how much.. but it was too late.. I'd signed the cheque," he told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ngv-fox-family-make-100-million-donation-to-national-gallery-of-victoria/f3b266d6-7ea0-44de-a3e4-f629757ed20f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a>. The eye watering donation is the largest cash donation ever made to an Australian art museum by a living donor. In return, the building’s name will change to The Fox: NGV Contemporary, in line with his trucking company. Paula, who sits on the contemporary art gallery’s board said the donation will go a long way. "We do love the state. And I think it's lovely to give back," she said. Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson said the donation was an "extraordinary gift to the people of Victoria." "Philanthropy can transform cities and NGV Contemporary will be a true game-changer.” Construction for the building which will go up at 77 Southbank Boulevard in Southbank, will begin later in the year and is expected to finish in 2028. It will form part of the $1.7 billion redevelopment of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation which will also see upgrades to the Arts Centre Melbourne and the Arts Centre Melbourne’s new Centre for Creativity. Image: Getty

Money & Banking

Teenager donates newly-bought car to flood victim

A generous teenager has helped change the life of one of NSW's flood victims by giving him a car. Harry Ledger, a 17-year-old from Kiama, had recently travelled to the flood-affected area of Lismore to help in the mammoth clean up effort from devastating floods. After doing everything he could to help the clean up, Harry decided he wanted to do more than just get his hands dirty. With the help of his family, Harry took the car he recently bought (after saving up for more than two years) and gave it to Dylan: a local who had lost everything in the flood. Natasha Shearer, who helped coordinate Harry’s generous donation, posted about the moment Harry handed over the keys at the weekend. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnshearerlambert%2Fposts%2F10159694343075926&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="809" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “Dylan was at work at the time and had no idea Harry was about to hand him a car,” Natasha wrote. <div id="ad-slot_out-of-page-mobile_section-index-1_pos-2" data-section-index="1"></div> “Dylan was in shock and really couldn’t believe that someone especially a beautiful young 17-year-old would come and hand over a car like that.” Harry had been saving over the last few years to buy the champagne-coloured Nissan, and decided to give it to the man who had lost his own home and car, and was couch-surfing for a place to stay and getting around on a pushbike. “We brought him out to the car,” Natasha told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-12/teenager-donates-car-to-northern-nsw-flood-victim/100982504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “We told him we had a few things for him in the car and, the next thing, Harry handed him the keys." “He cried, he couldn’t believe it. He was very, very appreciative and in shock.” While the clean-up efforts are continuing in Northern NSW, one local's life is now a little easier. Image credits: Facebook

Caring

Why Leo DiCaprio has donated over $13 million to Ukraine

Actor Leo DiCaprio has donated over $13 million to support Ukraine in their fight against the Russian invasion. The 47-year-old star has personal ties to the besieged country, with his maternal grandmother hailing from Ukraine. His grandmother, Helene Indenbirken was born in the southern Ukraine city of Odesa, before migrating to Germany with her parents in 1917. Leo was very close with his grandmother, who encouraged him throughout his career and accompanied him to many film premieres before she died in 2008 at age 93. The hefty donation was announced by the <a href="https://www.visegradfund.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Visegrad Fund</a>, who "promote sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe". The actor has not formally announced the donation on his social media channels, but has long been an avid supporter and activist for humanitarian issues. Other celebrities have also joined the fight against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Ukrainian-born actress Mila Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher pledged to match donations up to $3 million by those contributing to their <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/stand-with-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> campaign. Their fundraiser, which has raised over $19 million so far, was launched last week with the donations going to Flexport and Airbnb, which, they said, are “two organisations who are actively on the ground providing immediate help to those who need it most.” Mila was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine - then part of the Soviet Union - and moved with her family to the United States when she was seven years old. While acknowledging all that the US has done for her and her family, she said she couldn’t forget her roots. “Today, I am a proud Ukrainian,” the actress said in a statement shared on the fundraising page. “Ukrainians are proud and brave people who deserve our help in their time of need." Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

QEII makes a "generous donation" to Ukraine

In a vocal display of support, Queen Elizabeth has supported Ukraine with a "generous" donation. The 95-year-old monarch donated an undisclosed amount to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, according to a tweet made by The Disasters Emergency Committee on Thursday. The Queen's public display of support for Ukraine comes just days after Prince Charles and Camilla had an "emotional" meeting with Ukrainians living in London. Camilla was seen to be tearful as she embraced the wife of Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko before saying "we are praying for you". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Many thanks to Her Majesty The Queen for continuing to support the Disasters Emergency Committee and for making a generous donation to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoyalFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UkraineAppeal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UkraineAppeal</a> — DEC (@decappeal) <a href="https://twitter.com/decappeal/status/1499431223969595392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote> Prince Charles also gave an unexpected speech in which he said he and his wife had been "deeply moved" during their visit, especially after seeing the "extraordinary bravery, generosity and fortitude of the Ukrainian community in the face of such truly terrible aggression". The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have also spoken out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine with a message on Twitter, recalling when they first met the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future," Kate and William's message said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine’s future. Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future 🇺🇦 W & C — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1497556980067676163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2022</a></blockquote> Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also shared a message of support on their Archewell Foundation website the day the invasion began, writing, "Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and all of us at Archewell stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same." The invasion of Ukraine began on February 24th when Russia launched a full-scale military operation that has led to over 9,000 deaths with thousands of people forced to flee their homes. Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Rich countries donating half their COVID vaccine supply would be a “win-win”

The message emerging from expert dialogue on the trajectory of COVID is increasingly clear: this show won’t be over until the whole world is vaccinated. The appearance of <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/omicron-update-170122/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Omicron</a> on the scene, with <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/son-of-omicron-victoria-detects-a-handful-of-covid-19-sub-variant-cases/095ee479-723b-40a9-a2ca-77e90968d6e7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">son-of-Omicron</a> (the BA.2 sub-variant) hot on its heels, has been a stark reminder that making it through one wave doesn’t mean we’ve weathered the storm – as long as there are under-vaccinated populations, this virus will continue to develop new variants that will sweep across the globe, making vaccine equity crucial to COVID defense.Just how much should we prioritise vaccine sharing over increasing immunity within our own borders? A new <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01289-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modelling study</a> published in Nature Human Behaviour has put firm figures to this tricky question, finding that if high-income countries were to donate up to 46% of their total vaccine supply to low- and middle-income countries, the benefits could include substantial decreases in global mortality and protection against further pandemic waves.Using a mathematical model, the researchers projected the consequences of vaccine inequity over five years, against the backdrop of evolving strains of SARS-CoV-2 and global mobility.The results showed that if we want to get on top of COVID, we’re going to have look beyond short-term immunity gains within our own borders and start playing a globally focused long-game.The model indicated that increasing national vaccination rates through booster programs, such as the controversial <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/fourth-covid-shot-wont-prevent-omicron-infection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">four-dose regime</a> being rolled out across Israel, does lead to faster declines in mortality in high-income countries in the first year. But these gains are swallowed up by an increasing vulnerability to infection in subsequent years as the global threat of newly emerging strains grows.Conversely, modelling equitable vaccine allocation strategies showed a substantial curbing of the spread of new strains, providing greater benefits to both high-income and low- and middle-income countries.Regardless of where individual countries stand on the ethics of tending to your own flock ahead of assisting disadvantaged global populations, this model makes it clear that allocating nearly half of high-income countries’ vaccine supplies is, over the longer-term, in their own interest.Addressing vaccine equity is a practical but highly effective variant-suppression measure that could be achieved by immediate and more-generous vaccine donations to low- and middle-income countries, but convincing governments to reframe their national COVID strategies in this global light remains a challenge.As of 31 December 2021, more than nine billion COVID-19 vaccination doses had been administered worldwide – but the distribution of these doses remains highly imbalanced. Over 70% of people in high-income countries are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19; in low-income countries, that number is 4%.Organisations such as COVAX, which is co-led by <a href="https://www.gavi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.gavi.org/">Gavi</a>, <a href="https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator/covax" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator/covax">the WHO</a>, and <a href="https://cepi.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="URL" data-id="https://cepi.net/">CEPI</a>, are attempting to tackle the vaccine inequity problem, and announced in January that they had delivered their <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/billionth-covax-dose/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">billionth vaccine dose</a> – an admirable achievement, but well short of their 2 billion dose goal. The organisation cited hoarding and stockpiling by wealthy countries as a key roadblock to their progress. Many high-income countries have access to enough vaccines to vaccinate their populations several times over, leaving some low- and middle-income countries struggling to obtain sufficient supplies to vaccinate their populations even once.But, as the current study makes clear, pandemics pay no heed to borders. Until there is international commitment to global vaccine equity, the waves will continue to crash in.<div id="contributors"><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/combatting-vaccine-inequity-win-win/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jamie-priest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamie Priest</a>. Jamie Priest is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Adelaide.Image: Getty Images</div>

Body

“It’s stupid”: Kochie blasts unfair blood donation rule

Sunrise co-host David “Kochie” Koch has <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/sunrise-presenter-david-kochie-koch-takes-aim-at-stupid-blood-donation-rule-c-5521999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dubbed</a> a blood donation rule as “stupid”, revealing he is one of the thousands prevented from rolling up their sleeves as a result.The Channel 7 presenter shared that he was one of the many people who lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996 who aren’t allowed to give blood in Australia due to fears of mad cow disease.“I’ve never been able to give blood since working and living in the UK in the ‘90s,” Kochie said on Tuesday’s episode.“It was a long time ago. It’s stupid.”Kochie added that even his children are affected because they lived overseas.His comments come after a news story about the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which is considering lifting the ban due to severe shortages in blood banks.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A ban on people who lived in the UK during the mad cow epidemic from giving blood in Australia could soon be lifted due to a major donor shortage. <a href="https://t.co/LF4dStY3N2">pic.twitter.com/LF4dStY3N2</a>— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/1488241425162838016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2022</a></blockquote>The organisation has called for more people to donate after many people cancelled or didn’t attend their bookings due to the Omicron wave of COVID-19.According to the charity’s website, Lifeblood currently doesn’t accept donations from anyone who lived in the UK - including England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Island, the Isle of Man, and both the Channel and Falkland Islands - for six months or more between January 1 1980 and December 31 1996.During this period, the UK experienced one of the highest numbers of a variant of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (or ‘mad cow disease’) called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). It was thought that people contracted this disease by eating products from cows infected with the ‘mad cow disease’.“A small number of people also contracted vCJD through blood transfusions, which is why we can’t take blood donations from anyone who has received a transfusion in the UK since 1980,” the website <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://www.lifeblood.com.au/blood/eligibility/donating-after-travelling/UK" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reads</a>.“We have recently prepared a submission proposing a change to this. Our submission is currently being reviewed, and we look forward to having more to say soon.”<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/koch-0.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="338" />David ‘Kochie’ Koch has called out a rule that prevents him from donating blood to the Red Cross. Image: @sunriseon7 (Twitter)With about 4500 planned donations falling through each day, Lifeblood executive director of donor services Cath Stone said now was the time to review the rule restricting donations.“The peak of (mad cow cases) we saw in 2000. We haven’t seen any cases since 2010,” she told Sunrise.“That is why now is the opportune time for us to review that based on the latest evidence. We are looking forward to the outcomes of that submission.”Image: @sunriseon7 (Twitter)

News

Terminally ill teen donates his life savings to a boy with cancer

A teenager who has been given just months to live has donated his life savings to a young boy's cancer battle. Rhys Langford, 19, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of cancer that starts in the bones, in October 2020. After 16 months of extensive chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgeries, the Welsh teenager was declared cancer-free. However, in November last year, he started to get sick again. “I ended up with sepsis and a massive blood clot in the femoral vein, I spent nearly five weeks in hospital again, underwent further tests, MRI’s, CT scans, to be told on 4th January this year my cancer has come back,” he wrote. “Now there is nothing more that can be done for me,” he said. “I am dying.” Rhys had come to terms with the fact that his journey was coming to an end, and was devastated to learn that six-year-old Jacob's battle with cancer had just begun. Jacob was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before Christmas 2017, prompting his family to raise thousands of pounds for experimental treatments. After several months of chemotherapy and surgeries, he too was declared cancer-free in 2019. After two years cancer-free, a new lesion appeared on Jacob's liver in January, instilling the worst fears in his family's mind that his cancer had returned. When Rhys learned of Jacob's plight, he donated $1,900 to Jacob's treatment and set up a GoFundMe page, which has since raised more than $88,000. “I know nothing can be done for me now but as one of my many last wishes I would like to help Jacob and help him fight this awful disease,” Rhys said, “I know what the treatments and awful drugs do to your body. It’s hell.” “Jacob is now six and has been fighting this disease most of his life. It should not be this way.” Jacob’s family said their “thoughts and love go out to this young man”, thanking him on behalf of Jacob and his “fight team”. “We have had a fantastic donation of £1,000 from a wonderful person called Rhys ... he was reading about Jacob’s relapse and got really upset and wanted to do something to help him,” they said. “His words were, ‘If they can’t save me I would like to help save this little boy Jacob’.” Image credits: GoFundMe / Facebook

Caring

Woman brutally dumped after donating an organ to her partner

Image: TikTok Donating a kidney to somebody in need is not an easy decision. But when a young woman named Colleen had the chance to change her boyfriend’s life six years ago, she didn’t think twice about donating the vital organ. In a series of viral videos, the TikTok star explained how she made the decision to have the procedure to save his life according to The Sun. When they first got together, Colleen said her boyfriend had been upfront about how he’d been struggling with chronic kidney disease since the age of 17. This meant he had to be on dialysis and his kidneys functioned at just 5% at average capacity. She explained: “I decided to get tested to see if we were a match because I didn’t want to watch him die.” Luckily for the couple, the surgeries went well and both parties recovered. But while you’d naturally assume the man would be eternally grateful to his girlfriend for what she did for him, he then cheated on her seven months later. In a follow-up video, Colleen explained how her ex-boyfriend told her he was going to Las Vegas for a bachelor party with some guys in his church. At the time, the TikToker was in a busy exam period and trusted her boyfriend completely so didn’t think anything of it. Until he turned up on her doorstep and confessed to cheating. “A lot of arguments later, I eventually forgave him and gave him a second chance,” she said. However, three months later the now ex brutally dumped Colleen over the phone. She claims he said: “If we are meant for each other, God will bring us back together in the end.” Unfortunately, the break-up only got messier from there, when her ex told her: “You only donated your kidney to look good”.

Relationships

Keanu Reeves donates his Matrix salary to cancer research

Hollywood's nicest guy Keanu Reeves has reportedly donated 70% of his salary from The Matrix to cancer research. The 57-year-old Canadian actor made $14 million for the 1999 sci-fi hit film, before earning another $49 million after its impressive release at the box office. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/latest-keanu-reeves-donated-70-of-his-matrix-salary-to-leukaemia-research-20211228" target="_blank">Lad Bible</a>, Keanu gave approximately $44 million of those earnings to leukaemia research, after his sister Kim was diagnosed with blood cancer in 1991. Kim, who is now 55-years-old battled the condition for 10 years before entering remission, as Keanu put his career on hold - which included the back-to-back Matrix sequels - to take care of her. He later started his own cancer fund, but didn't make it known to the public for several years. “I have a private foundation that’s been running for five or six years, and it helps aid a couple of children’s hospitals and cancer research,” Reeves told Ladies Home Journal in 2009. “I don’t like to attach my name to it, I just let the foundation do what it does.” The foundation provides critical funding for research into cancer, while also supporting both children's wards and kids' hospitals. This is not the first time Keanu Reeves has parted with his impressive movie salary to help others, as he has previously given up to $125 million to save at-risk jobs so people could stay employed. Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Viral Christmas photo prompts flood of donations and gifts

A 12-year-old boy and his family have received a flood of donations, after a photo of him pulling a Christmas tree out of a pile of rubbish went viral. Gabriel Silva lives with his mother and two older brothers in a mud hut in Pinheiro, a town in northeastern Brazil, and spends most days after school digging through mountains of rubbish at the nearby dump. On November 8, he uncovered a discarded plastic bag containing a small artificial Christmas tree. “I had never had a Christmas tree before,” he <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/christmas-tree-turns-symbol-of-hope-at-brazil-dump/JMPG6HOAF5XRBIDDEB2PWMXGPI/" target="_blank">said</a>. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> || <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fotojornalismo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fotojornalismo</a> 📷 O poder da fotografia. Um registro feito pelo fotógrafo João Paulo Guimarães no município de Pinheiro, a 333 km de São Luís, tem chamado atenção nos últimos dias. Uma foto tirada em um lixão da cidade mostra Gabriel, de 12 anos, que acompanhava a mãe <a href="https://t.co/eHt2BL1j2T">pic.twitter.com/eHt2BL1j2T</a> — Biólogo Henrique, o Biólogo das Cobras (@BiologoHenrique) <a href="https://twitter.com/BiologoHenrique/status/1468026523785613316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote> The image of Silva with his find, taken by photographer Joao Paulo Guimaraes, quickly went viral. Instead of the small tree, Silva’s home now has a giant Christmas tree inside, gifted by a benefactor who was moved by the photograph, as well as a flood of other donations. “We’ve gotten clothes, mattresses, baskets of food. Thank God, we’ll be able to get by fine for Christmas this year,” Silva’s mother, Maria Francisca Silva, said. The family has also received money through online collections - coming as a significant jump from the approximately 600 reais ($AUD 149) Maria Francisca makes selling recyclable materials from the dump each month. After an initial donation of 500 reais, the family has fulfilled a longtime wish and installed a hydraulic pump, replacing the rope and bucket they use to retrieve water from their well. They also hope to fulfill another wish of building an actual house. But Silva’s favourite gift was a bicycle he received from a teacher at school. He spends most of his free time at the dump with his mother, who says he always helps her. “I prefer to bring him with me. If I let him run around in the street, he could get into drugs, do things he’s not supposed to do,” Maria Francisca said. “He’s a good boy. He always helps me.” Along with a flood of gifts, the viral photo has turned Silva into a local celebrity. “Every day, people want to take my picture, ask me things,” he said. Guimaraes, who lives in the neighbouring state of Para, said he got the idea to shoot photos at the dump after seeing a video captured by Pinheiro’s public defender Eurico Arruda. In the clip, residents are chasing a garbage truck carrying rubbish from a supermarket. “It was just crazy. There were probably 50 people chasing it,” Arruda said. “That dump is like something out of the apocalypse. There are fires and smoke everywhere, vultures, dogs. It’s the bottom rung of destitute poverty.” Arruda hopes Silva’s photo will raise awareness of people like him and his family, and has set up a cooperative to help trash-pickers defend their rights. The local government has also promised that trash-pickers would receive monthly welfare payments of 100 reais ($24), and has vowed to build a legal dump that complies with sanitation regulations next year. Images: Joao Paulo Guimaraes / Getty Images

Caring

Donations POUR in for man wrongly convicted for murder

After US man Kevin Strickland <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/no-compensation-after-43-years-of-wrongful-imprisonment" target="_blank">was released</a> from jail 43 years after his wrongful conviction in a triple murder, a flood of donations have swept in to help him rebuild his life. The <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kevin-strickland-after-wrongful-conviction" target="_blank">fundraiser</a> set up for him in June had received over $USD 400,000 ($AUD 560,000) at the time of his release, and donations keep coming. Many supporters were outraged that the 62-year-old wouldn’t receive any compensation for his time in prison from the state of Missouri. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Today, Kevin Strickland is finally home, 43 years after being ripped away from his life and family. It took not just a village, but a movement--all of you-- to bring him home. — Tricia Rojo Bushnell (@tcita) <a href="https://twitter.com/tcita/status/1463362164920623104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2021</a></blockquote> Because he wasn’t exonerated through the use of DNA evidence, Mr Strickland doesn’t qualify for wrongful imprisonment payments. Within three days of his release, donors had contributed another $600,000 to his fundraiser, totalling $USD 1.016 million ($AUD 1.42 million) . The organisers thanked donors on Tuesday, confirming that all the money raised would be received by Mr Strickland. “Thank you all for your support! All funds go directly to Mr Strickland, who the state of Missouri won’t provide a dime to for the 43 years they stole from him,” they wrote. Mr Strickland has maintained his innocence since he was sentenced to 50 years in prison in 1979. He has said that he was at home watching television at the time of the three deaths, which happened when he was 18 years old. The fundraiser, set up by the Midwest Innocence Project, has been collecting donations for Mr Strickland since June, when the organisation began campaigning for his release. They have said he would need help paying for basic living costs once he was free. “I can’t begin to say all the things I am thankful for,” Mr Strickland <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/travel/americas/almost-us1-million-raised-for-man-wrongly-convicted-of-1979-triple-homicide-c-4711022" target="_blank">said</a> as he left prison. Image: GoFundMe

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