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In the headlines...
🌼 Quilen Blackwell, whose nonprofit transforms vacant lots in Chicago into flower farms that employ at-risk young people to grow, arrange, and sell the flowers, was named CNN’s 2025 Hero of the Year.
👏 Under new guidelines from the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer screening can now include “self-swab” HPV tests, a move that experts hope will encourage more people to screen more regularly by giving them a less painful alternative to the traditional exam.
Thousands of strangers raised over $1.7 million to help an 88-year-old veteran retire
On December 1, social media influencer Samuel Weidenhofer posted a video interviewing 88-year-old Ed Bambas, who works as a cashier at a Meijer grocery store in Detroit.
Bambas told Weidenhofer he lost his pension and health insurance around the same time his wife was sick, and he sold his home to cover her health care costs. She passed away seven years ago, and he’s working to pay off his debts.
Thousands were moved by Bambas’ story, and the video went viral, gaining 8 million views, and donors gave more than $1.5 million in three days. In total, over $1.7 million was raised to help Bambas retire, in what Weidenhofer said was one of GoFundMe’s largest-ever individual fundraisers.
Why is this good news?While no person, let alone a veteran, should find themselves in this type of situation, it’s an encouraging reminder of the generosity and goodness of human beings — more than 50,000 of them came together to help Bambas.
The best gift for pets (and the people who love them)
We all know a dog dad, cat lady, or pet parent who always has their furry, scaly, or feathery friend on the brain. And that’s amazing! The world needs more people who love animals and take good care of them.
*All these recommendations were independently and honestly reviewed by the Good Good Good team. Some of these recommendations include affiliate links, which means if you buy anything from this email, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. (Thanks for your support!)
good progress
Measles deaths have declined by 88% globally since 2000, saving nearly 59 million lives
Thanks to global vaccination efforts, there’s been an 88% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2024. The measles vaccine has saved nearly 59 million lives in that time frame.
An estimated 95,000 people, mostly children under 5 years old, died due to measles in 2024 — among the lowest annual death tolls recorded since 2000. It’s still heartbreakingly high for a preventable disease with an effective, low-cost vaccine available.
While deaths declined, cases have risen. Except, notably, in Africa, which saw a 40% decline in cases from 2019 to 2024, and a 50% drop in deaths over the same time period.
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