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Leopard Population Has Nearly Tripled in the World’s Largest Conservation Area

By
Andy Corbley
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A male leopard walks past a camera trap near Panthera's camp - Credit: Ross de Bruin / Panthera
A male leopard walks past a camera trap near Panthera’s camp – Credit: Ross de Bruin / Panthera

In parts of Zambia’s Kafue National Park, a conservation organization specializing in wildcats has reported that the number of leopards there has nearly tripled.

With an increase of 2.9, there are now 4.4 leopards per 100 square kilometers of terrain, which is much more than it sounds when you consider just how big Kafue is.

At 22,700 square miles, it’s two-and-a-half-times larger than Yellowstone, but exists within the Greater Kafue Ecosystem—a mosaic of landscapes enjoying various levels of protection that’s three times larger than that, and is around the size of Massachusetts.

“It’s very large, and has tremendous potential for recovery, but it’s been so beaten up for so many decades,” said Jon Ayers, Board Chairman of Panthera, the world’s only conservation group dedicated exclusively to wildcats.

“As exciting as the project has been, there’s still tremendous opportunity to see it grow back to its original vibrancy,” he told GNN.

Living in the shadows, literally and figuratively, of their beige, maned cousins of the savannah, the leopard receives a fraction of the conservation dollars that lions enjoy. However, because leopards sit at the top of the food chain just below lions, spending money to protect one will invariably help the other. They eat the same animals, and share the same vast landscapes.

“There are probably six different species of cats in that ecosystem. Because they’re on the top of the food chain, they indicate the health of the whole ecosystem,” said Ayers, who was described to GNN as a business mind that knew more about wildcat conservation than most conservationists.

A remote DSLR camera trap image of a sub-adult female leopard – Credit: Ross de Bruin/Panthera

Ayers took a position on the board in 2021. At the time, he was recovering from a cycling accident that left him partially paralyzed from the torso down, and felt he needed a plan—something else to focus his attention on.

“It’s not easy going through something like this and most people don’t do very well,” Ayers told GNN in 2021. “Not that I’m perfect, but being able to work on something like this is the greatest gift to me… because it helps me through a transition in my life, and because it gives me purpose.”

The work going on in Kafue, which has included camera trap surveys, smarter anti-poaching patrols, and GPS-tagging white-backed vultures to act as an early-warning system for poisoning activity, has seen the decline in the area’s lion numbers cease, and reverse, as well as the near-tripling of the leopard population mentioned earlier.

“Panthera just led the largest survey of lions and leopards ever accomplished in Kafue,” said Ayers.

Leopards, the chairman adds, are more ubiquitous and have more fixed territories than lions or cheetah, which means camera trapping these cats is more effective than usual at estimating their numbers. The camera trap surveys are the best tool for understanding whether or not Panthera’s work in the ecosystem is succeeding.

MORE BIG CAT CONSERVATION: Ecologists Preparing to Return Tigers to Kazakhstan in World-First Tiger Reintroduction Effort

“It’s kind of like, how do you know if you’re winning the game if you don’t have a scoreboard? So the surveys act as a scoreboard,” he adds.

Panthera has worked with leopards for years, notably through their Furs for Life program that convinced indigenous African cultures who use leopard furs as part of their ceremonies to switch to synthetic furs.

“These indigenous groups, one of the biggest ones is called the African Congregational Church, they use these leopard furs as part of their rituals. And they needed to go out and kill leopards to get the leopard skins so that young and upcoming members could have leopard skins as part of their celebrations,” Ayers explained.

“And so what we’ve done is by working with these leaders, we’ve said ‘hey that’s not so good for the ecosystem on which you rely, why don’t we substitute very authentic synthetic furs?’”

MORE BIG AFRICAN GOALS: South Sudan’s Epic Effort to Protect the World’s Little-Known Largest Mammal Migration

During the period in which the leopard numbers nearly tripled, there were no recorded poaching instances for leopard furs from locals affiliated with the church or any other known ceremonial group, according to Panthera’s report.

Leopards, (Panthera pardus) are considered by the IUCN Red List to be ‘Vulnerable’ and decreasing across their whole range on average.

There are few hideaways for the leopard worth mentioning if they can’t make it inside Kafue, and it bears explaining exactly what Kafue is and what it represents.

A German map of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area – Credit: CC 3.0. Lencer

In the same way that Kafue National Park is nested inside the Greater Kafue Ecosystem, the Greater Kafue Ecosystem is one part of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, the largest terrestrial conservation landscape in the world.

AYER’S ORIGINAL STORY: Millionaire Turned Quadriplegic Jon Ayers is Giving it All to Save Wild Cats, After Finding a New Purpose

It spans five countries (Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) and encompasses 36 protected areas across some 520,000 square kilometers. This is a region the size of France, and one so large and so important to the continent, it has its own visa that allows visitors to transit national borders as easily as an elephant can.

As long as Panthera is involved, one can rest assured there will be leopards to be found here, and if there are leopards there, the reader can rest assured their grandchildren will be able to see a leopard in the wild.

SHARE This Incredible Success Across An Incredible Landscape… 

Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to reflect the fact that leopard populations were nearly tripled in parts of Kafue. 

Dick Van Dyke Dances in New Coldplay Video Premiering on His 99th Birthday (WATCH)

By
Andy Corbley
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By Coldplay (via Youtube)
Credit: Coldplay (YouTube screenshot)

In a rather unexpected collaboration for a single off the new Coldplay album, Chris Martin teamed up with Dick Van Dyke for a music video just before one of the danciest stars in Hollywood turns 99 years old.

‘All My Love’ is a single from the LP Moon Music released in October, and in a 7-minute director’s cut, the Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star talks about love, life, being silly, and growing old, all before his birthday on December 13th.

The music video was filmed at Van Dyke’s Malibu home, and features a shoeless Martin playing piano and singing while Dick does what Dick does—dancing.

On December 5th, Van Dyke and Martin appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to preview a clip of the video and discuss their collaboration.

Martin said Mary Poppins was his “number 1” film, and despite living just 8 miles from Van Dyke, had never met him before. Martin and the director of the music video Spike Jonze, were brainstorming ideas about a theme for the song, and the idea of Van Dyke came up.

CHRIS MARTIN BEING A KIND SOUL: He Crowdsurfed in a Wheelchair to the Stage and Coldplay Pulled Him Up to Play Harmonica (Watch)

“I said, ‘We’re looking for an old guy. Who’s the oldest guy?’” quipped Martin.

Van Dyke admitted that when someone told him Chris Martin was on the phone, he asked “Who’s that?”

COLDPLAY’S NEW ALBUM ALSO: Coldplay’s New Album Is Made of Plastic Collected from Rivers by The Ocean Cleanup

In June, Van Dyke became the oldest Daytime Emmy winner ever when he was awarded for his guest role on the endless soap opera Days of Our Lives.

“I feel like a spy from nighttime television,” the actor said in his acceptance speech. “I’m the oldest nominee in history. I can’t believe it. I was playing old men all my life. If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!”

WATCH, LISTEN, and maybe just cry…

SHARE This Sweet Collaboration Between Two Beloved Performers… 

Beneath Notre Dame Cathedral Archaeologists Discover More than 1,000 Artifacts and Statues

By
Andy Corbley
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Photograph supplied by Hamid Azmoun, INRAP.
Photograph supplied by Hamid Azmoun, INRAP.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris has reopened, and all the West rejoices with her.

However, during the extensive restoration, a team of archaeologists was allowed to dig under the foundations as far as the anchor points of the scaffolding, under a French law that allows archaeological digs to occur for preservation of what may lie underfoot.

Scientists can dig “to detect and undertake the scientific study of archaeological remains (on land and underwater) that might otherwise be destroyed by land development work,” according to the law, and the remains, in this case, proved to be 100 graves, and 1,000 statue fragments along with valuable insights into the foundational layers of the famous building.

Teams from the Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives (INRAP) uncovered hundreds of fragments, many from limestone sculptures of men and saints, including the Savior.

A 13th-century jubé or rood screen that previously separated the choir and sanctuary from public view was among the more significant architectural finds, Art News reports.

Belonging to the Saxon language, “rood” means cross, and it stood at the center of the transept and blocked the view of the peasants in the nave from seeing the sanctuary. It was considered a marvel of pre-modern European sculpture, and hundreds of pieces of it and its ornamentation were recovered.

These include floral patterns and other gothic features, as well as reliefs from the Passion of Christ, including famous scenes like the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. A majority of the recovered fragments have traces of the pigments that once colored the whole screen.

A part of the rood screen – Photograph supplied by Hamid Azmoun, INRAP.

Christophe Besnier and his team from INRAP believe more of the screen’s remains lie buried under the choir itself, which was outside the scope of his dig site. The whole excavation was on a time crunch as President Emanuel Macron was urgently trying to have the monument reopened for the Olympics.

Weeks turned to months, and the excavations continued as frantically as digging under one the most sensitive and ancient structures in the country could possibly be allowed to be.

MORE WORK FROM INRAP: Hotel Excavation Reveals Medieval Castle with Moat and Stones That Look Like They Were Laid Yesterday

Charred remains of the earliest wooden beams show how the original constructions employed 49-feet-long, 100-year-old oak trees hand-cut and notched with special holds for ropes which would have bound them together as they floated down the Seine to the small island where the cathedral is located.

Also found were heavy iron clamps, 10 to 20 inches long used to bind certain stones together which date to the earliest construction periods of Notre Dame at around 1160 CE. This makes it the first Gothic cathedral in Europe to use iron as a building material.

THE REST OF THE STORY: Rebuilding Notre Dame Cathedral Takes Leap Forward as the Majestic Spire Is Pieced Together

For now, the rest of the rood screen will remain under the newly-reopened building, and no mission to recover them is in the works as the nation would like the public to enjoy its beloved and iconic cathedral without disruption.

SHARE This Coda To The Rebuilding Of The World’s Most-Visited Church… 

China Announces Completion of a 1,800-Mile Green Belt Around the World’s Most-Hostile Desert

By
Andy Corbley
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A mixed-species section of the Green Great Wall - Credit: 中国新闻网 CC 3.0. BY
A mixed-species section of the Green Great Wall – Credit: 中国新闻网 CC 3.0. BY

It has taken 46 years and reportedly suffered many setbacks, but on Thursday, the People’s Daily wrote that Chinese workers have succeeded in ringing the entire Taklamakan Desert in trees.

Last week, the final 100 trees were planted around the southern edge of the world’s most hostile desert, completing an epic endeavor sometimes called the ‘Green’ Great Wall of China.

Northern and western Chinese provinces suffer from dust and sand storms blowing off the Taklamakan—a word that in native etymology means “Go in and don’t come out”—souring the air and placing arable land at risk of desertification.

It’s the world’s second-largest shifting sand desert, as well as the farthest point from an ocean it’s possible to find on Earth. The areas around the Taklamakan are some of the poorest in the entire country.

The Green Great Wall began under Deng Xiaoping in 1978 with the “Three-North Shelterbelt” project. More than 30 million hectares (116,000 square miles) of trees have been planted.

Poor planning, follow-up, and species selection have occasionally resulted in major tree die-offs, sometimes from lack of irrigation and sometimes from beetle infestations.

The Taklamakan Desert. Credit: NASA World Wind 1.4.

Ecologists have also criticized the project for risking delicate groundwater sources, but its footprint shrunk the overall size of the Gobi Desert by 2,000 square kilometers in 2022, and offset significant amounts of China’s carbon footprint.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Norway’s Forests Have More Than Tripled in a Hundred Years

Despite these risks and reversals, the Three-North Shelterbelt has continued and is now reported to have been completed, raising the total forest coverage of the Chinese nation to 25%. The project has increased forest cover in Xinjiang, the arid, far-west province of China, from 1% in 1949, to 5% today.

Zhu Lidong, a Xinjiang forestry official, told a press briefing in Beijing on Monday that planting will continue as the government seeks to reinforce the ‘wall’ and keep desertification in check. Zhu added that after 4 decades of planting, officials are getting better at pairing species together to survive in the harsh climate.

MORE GOOD GREEN ENGINEERING: Couple Plants 2 Million Trees in 20 Years to Turn Destroyed Forest Back Into a Wildlife Haven

Zhu said he hopes the next stage will involve blocks of orchards to increase economic conditions for the people who live around the fearsome desert.

SHARE This 46-Year Project Finally Finished With Your Friends… 

“Change is the end result of all true learning.” – Leo Buscaglia

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Change is the end result of all true learning.” – Leo Buscaglia

Photo by: Yogendra Singh

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, December 10

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George MacDonald c.1865 CC 4.0 SA - Provost Skene's House Museum.

200 years ago today, the Reverend Minister George MacDonald was born in Aberdeenshire. A pious and valued member of his community, MacDonald achieved a state of prominence for his fantasy fiction writing and fairy tales which inspired some of the most well-known writers of the 189th and 20th centuries, including Lewis Carrol, Charles Dickens, Aldous Huxley, Ray Bradbury, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Mark Twain. On a lecture tour in America in 1870s, the great bearded MacDonald spoke on poetry and literature to crowds of adoring readers numbering in the thousands. READ what some of those authors said about him… (1824)

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Dogs Were Already ‘Man’s Best Friend’ at Least 12,000 Years Ago in the Americas

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8,100-year-old canid mandible excavated at the Hollembaek Hill archaeological site – SWNS
8,100-year-old canid mandible excavated at the Hollembaek Hill archaeological site – SWNS

Dogs first became “man’s best friend” at least 12,000 years ago, suggests new research.

Indigenous people in the Americas began forming close relationships with the ancestors of today’s dogs around 2,000 years earlier than previously recorded on the continent, based on remains found in Alaska.

Researchers unearthed a tibia, or lower-leg bone, of an adult canine in 2018 at a longstanding archaeological site called Swan Point, about 70 miles south east of Fairbanks.

Radiocarbon dating showed that the canine was alive about 12,000 years ago, near the end of the Ice Age.

“We now have evidence that canids and people had close relationships earlier than we knew they did in the Americas,” said study lead author Dr. François Lanoë with the University of Arizona School of Anthropology.

“People like me who are interested in the peopling of the Americas are very interested in knowing if those first Americans came with dogs.

“Until you find those animals in archaeological sites, we can speculate about it, but it’s hard to prove one way or another. So, this is a significant contribution.”

Another excavation by the research team in 2023 found an 8,100-year-old canine jawbone at a nearby site called Hollembaek Hill—and that one also showed signs of possible domestication.

Chemical analyses of both bones found “substantial” contributions from salmon proteins, meaning the canine had regularly eaten fish. The researchers said that wasn’t typical of canines in the area at that time, as they hunted land animals almost exclusively.

They say the most likely explanation for salmon showing up in the animal’s diet is from humans serving it up.

An archaeologist with the University of Alaska–Fairbanks, Dr. Ben Potter, called it “the smoking gun” because they’re not really going after salmon in the wild.”

The researchers are confident that the Swan Point canine helps establish the earliest known close relationships between humans and canines in the Americas.

But they say it’s too early to say whether the discovery, published in the journal Science Advances, is the earliest domesticated dog in the Americas.

Dr. Potter, the study co-author, said that is why the study is valuable: “It asks the existential question, what is a dog?”

Prof. Lanoë says the Swan Point and Hollembaek Hill specimens may be too old to be genetically related to other known, more recent dog populations.

“Behaviorally, they seem to be like dogs, as they ate salmon provided by people. But, genetically, they’re not related to anything we know.”

He noted that they could have been tamed wolves rather than fully domesticated dogs.

The indigenous people of the region have long considered their dogs to be ‘mystic’ companions.

“I really like the idea that, in the record, however long ago, it is a repeatable cultural experience that I have this relationship and this level of love with my dog,” said Evelynn Combs, a tribal member involved in the archaeology department.

“I know that throughout history, these relationships have always been present.

“I really love that we can look at the record and see that thousands of years ago, we still had our companions.”

SHARE THE PAW-SOME RESEARCH With Dog-Lovers On Social Media…

First Human Skin Map Provides ‘Recipe’ That Could Prevent Scarring And Facilitate Hair Transplants

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Skin epidermolysis bullosa – by Mostafameraji (CC license, Wikimedia)
Skin epidermolysis bullosa – File photo by Mostafameraji (CC license, Wikimedia)

Skin is the largest organ of the human body, measuring on average two square meters. It provides a protective barrier, regulates our body temperature and can regenerate itself.

But I bet you didn’t know that skin develops in the sterile environment of the womb, with all hair follicles formed before birth. (There is follicle cycling after birth, but no new follicles are made.)

Most importantly for the scientists behind a new report, before birth is when the skin has the unique ability to heal without scarring.

Now, for the first time, researchers have created a single cell atlas of prenatal human skin to understand how skin forms, and what goes wrong in disease—insights that could be used to create new hair follicles in regenerative medicine and transplants for burn victims.

Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute at Newcastle University and their collaborators used single cell sequencing and other genomics techniques to create the atlas and uncover how human skin, including hair follicles, is formed.

For the study, published in Nature, the team also created a ‘mini organ’ of skin in a dish with the actual ability to grow hair.

Using the ‘organoid’, they showed how immune cells play an important role in scarless skin repair, which could lead to clinical applications to prevent scarring after surgery, or scarless healing after wounding.

“With our prenatal human skin atlas, we’ve provided the first molecular ‘recipe’ for making human skin and uncovered how human hair follicles are formed before birth,” said Dr. Elena Winheim, co-first author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute.

MORE CELLULAR BREAKTHROUGHS: Lab-Grown Blood Stem Cells Could Replace Bone Marrow Donations for Transplants

As part of the Human Cell Atlas, which is mapping all cell types in the human body to transform understanding of health and disease, the research futhers our understanding how skin develops, where cells are in space and time, and the role of genetics in revealing how specific mutations cause congenital skin disorders, such as blistering disorders and scaly skin.

The team used samples of prenatal skin tissue, which they broke down to look at individual cells in suspension, as well as cells in place within the tissue. Scientists used cutting-edge single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to analyze individual cells in space and time, and the cellular changes that regulate skin and hair follicle development.

They described the steps that outline how human hair follicles are formed and identified differences from mouse hair follicles. (One reason it’s so difficult to study how human skin develops, is that animal models are starkly different.)

They compared the molecular characteristics of skin organoids with prenatal skin and found the skin organoid model more closely resembled prenatal skin than adult skin.

AMAZING WORK: New Stem Cell Injection Treatment Shows Promise for Halting Multiple Sclerosis

The team found that blood vessels did not form in the skin organoid as well as in prenatal skin. But, by adding immune cells known as macrophages to the organoid, they discovered, with the use of 3D imaging, that the macrophages promoted the formation of blood vessels.

It’s known that these immune cells protect the skin from infection. However, this is the first time that macrophages have been shown to play a key role in the formation of human skin during early development by supporting the growth of blood vessels. This offers an option to improve vascularization of other tissues, which could lead to clinical applications to avoid scarring after surgery or wounding.

“These insights have amazing clinical potential and could be used in regenerative medicine, including offering skin and hair transplants—such as for burn victims or those with scarring alopecia,” said Dr. Winheim.

RELATED GOOD NEWS: FDA Approves First Alopecia Drug That Restores Hair Growth in Many Patients

“We’re excited to have made a skin organoid model that grows hair. In this process, we uncovered a new, important role of immune cells in promoting the growth of blood vessels,” said Dr. Hudaa Gopee, co-first author from Newcastle University. “Our findings could inform clinical advances to avoid scarring after surgery.”

Find out more on how the team grows skin organoids in the lab, in this Sanger Institute blog article.

Tiny Christmas Tree Planted by Couple in 1979 is Now 52-ft Tall and a 5-Star Tourist Stop–LOOK

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Avril and Christopher Rowlands’ Christmas tree grew to 52-ft since planting it in 1979 – SWNS
Avril and Christopher Rowlands’ Christmas tree grew to 52-ft since planting it in 1979 – SWNS

In the dark of winter, in a place where there are no street lights, a Christmas tree has grown so tall that people can see its sparkling lights from miles around.

In fact, the entire town of Inkberrow in Worcestershire, England, gathers on Pepper Street every year for the annual “Switching on” ceremony.

Avril and Christopher Rowlands bought the tiny fir tree for $6 in 1978 and after Christmas planted it in their yard to mark their first holiday together in the new home.

With 45 years of nurturing, it has grown 52-ft high and the couple now in their 80’s are still draping it with lights in December—providing a majestic light to a countryside with little illumination on any horizon.

For the last two decades the couple has needed the help of a cherry picker to decorate the tree with thousands of lights, now that it towers over their 4-bedroom home.

Beyond the benefits of uniting the town and bringing in tourists from far and wide, the Rowlands have raised more than £25,000 for charities, including the British Heart Foundation and Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Decorating Avril and Christopher Rowlands’ tree in Inkberrow, England – SWNS

In 2022, they raised £3,000 for Worcester Food Bank and this year they hope to raise thousands in donations for the Midlands Air Ambulance service.

Despite the energy costs to light the tree, the couple continues the annual tradition which brought in around 2,000 people to see it lit up on the night of December 6.

SWNS

“It’s remarkable to think we bought the tree as a sapling,” said Avril, a retired TV writer.

“We had no idea it would grow so tall but we’re delighted it has. Every year people say the tree switch-on marks the start of Christmas.”

The Little Tree in 1979 – SWNS

The Inkberrow tree has even been named as a local landmark on Google Maps and has attracted only 5-star reviews.

To help pay for the electricity bill, the couple contacted their energy supplier who agreed to contribute £100 to their bill for Christmas.

The Rolands, pictured in 2021 – SWNS

The couple will switch the lights on every night from 4.30pm to 9.30pm until January 6.

Avril admitted that maintaining the tree was increasingly challenging due to its sheer size.

“The tree did have a disease a year ago but we had the lower branches pruned, and wooden posts installed to support it, and it’s never looked better.”

“Obviously, Chris and I are getting on, I’m 80 next year, but we’ve got no plans to stop
the Christmas switch on.”

“We wouldn’t know what to do if we couldn’t do this every year. It’s become a tradition in the village—and beyond—which is wonderful.”

CHRISTMAS KINDNESS: Non-Verbal Boy Bakes Dozens of Christmas Pies to Replace Michelin-Star Chef’s Stolen Holiday Batch

Avril swooned, “We even get holiday cards addressed to the tree, which is quite sweet.”

SHARE The Tree-Mendous Story of Love With Christmas-Loving Friends on Social Media…

Bakery Owner Discovers Her Longtime Customer Is Her Biological Son

By
Andy Corbley
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Lenore Lindsey with her son Vamarr Hunter – Family photo
Lenore Lindsey with her son Vamarr Hunter – Family photo

From Chicago comes the story of a sweet reunion between a mother and son, who despite having met many times, never knew of their relationship.

At Give Me Some Sugah bakery, recently-hired employee Hunter Varmarr is particularly proud of his pound cake. He had always loved stopping in for a sweet treat or breakfast at the cafe, particularly because of the service from the baker behind the counter.

Her name was Lenore Lindsey, and though she didn’t know Varmarr’s name, she knew him as a valuable customer.

But their relationship went far deeper than that. Though neither knew it, they were mother and son.

Lindsey gave up her newborn son for adoption when she gave birth to Varmarr at just 17 years old. Varmarr for his part didn’t know he was adopted until 34. After finding out, he gradually became interested in finding out who his birth mother was, and so submitted DNA for a test.

One day, he received a strange call.

“I was on the phone talking to my friend when a call came through from the bakery,” said Varmarr to the Washington Post. “I was like, ‘Why is Give Me Some Sugah calling me?’”

THE FATHER SHE NEVER KNEW: Woman Looking for Birth Parents Learns That Dad Was a ‘Friend’ on Facebook

Even though he was told to expect a call from his biological mother, he didn’t suspect even for a moment any connection between it and the bakery.

The Post heard from Lindsey, who said if she had seen Varmarr’s photo, the shock would have been immediate. Instead, with only a name, the call began with a slow awkwardness that eventually shattered with loud enthusiasm when the lost family members connected the dots.

“When I knew who he was, we just started screaming on the phone,” Lindsey said. “We were beside ourselves,” with Hunter adding “It was just so unbelievable.”

LONG-LOST SISTERS: Sisters Who Found Each Other Through DNA Discover They Had Mysteriously Named Their Kids After Each Other

“When I called him, that connection was so immediate. I can’t even explain it. It was just like everything in my heart just broke open,” she said, this time to ABC 7 Chicago.

After a bout of health issues, Varmarr even started working there while Lindsey recovered, having no prior baking experience.

“It’s been a great experience. It further strengthens my faith. You can’t make up for time and days gone by. What you can do is properly utilize the time that you have,” he said.

Along with Lindsey, Varmarr got to meet a long-lost sister, and an extended family to boot, incorporating his own four children into a new network of sweet, sweet, affection.

WATCH the story below from ABC 7… 

SHARE This Sweet Story Of Sweets And Sweethearts With Your Friends… 

“Familiar acts are beautiful through love.” – Percy Shelley

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Quote of the Day: “Familiar acts are beautiful through love.” – Percy Shelley

Photo by: Amber Maxwell Boydell (cropped)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, December 9

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Judi Dench at BAFTAs in 2007 -GNU free license, by Caroline Bonarde Ucci.

Happy Birthday to Dame Judi Dench, one of the greatest actresses of our time who turns 90 today. A Hollywood and theatre legend, the British actress is a seven-time Academy Award nominee who has won a Tony, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Golden Globes, and seven Olivier Awards for her tremendous skill on the stage. Her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love won her an Oscar, and she’s become beloved for playing M in two decades of James Bond films. READ more… (1934)

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Saved by a Saxophone: Delayed Flight Gets Unexpected Holiday Cheer for Cranky Travelers (WATCH)

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Wayne Hoey plays his sax during flight delay – by Kate Dailey
Wayne Hoey plays his sax during flight delay – by Kate Dailey

With frustrating delays on the tarmac during holiday travel at one of the busiest airport in the world, one might expect only cranky people to make the news.

But on flight 1238, stuck in Atlanta, Georgia, last night, some unexpected holiday cheer broke out—and everyone joined in for the chorus.

Passengers aboard the packed Delta Airlines flight had already been waiting for well over an hour to depart, when they were given more bad news—the replacement flight crew was stuck in traffic.

The beleaguered flight attendants were trying their best to keep people comfortable and calm on the plane, but the travelers were hot, tired, and cramped in like sardines.

Kate Dailey could “feel the tension rising in the air,” but then something magical happened.

A man stood up and began assembling his saxophone. Soon, he started playing Christmas Carols wandering up and down the aisle.

The mood on the plane was immediately elevated although the aircraft was still on the ground.

“I was surprised and delighted,” Kate told GNN. “People were clapping, singing along, and cheering this man for his playing.

The sax player was Wayne Hoey, who served in the U.S. Army band for 20 years, performing and traveling the world during the Vietnam War in order to boost troop morale—and that’s what was needed yesterday during the long delay.

“It was such a lovely thing to witness, and such a gift to everyone during a stressful travel time.”

He even played Baby Shark for the kids, and made everyone laugh with his teasing horn.

“He played really well—and everything from memory!” Kate reported.

After retiring from the Army, Mr. Hoey got his masters in music education and taught a middle school band in Colorado Springs. Today he lives in Augusta, Georgia, serving as a substitute music teacher, and jamming for audiences with his Wayne Hoey Big Band.

He’s known for telling students, ‘Always bring your sax,’ exactly so they could have the opportunity he had on his flight to Augusta last night—to entertain and delight.

KINDNESS AT 30K FEET: When Five-year-old Missed His Graduation, Plane Passengers Give Special Midair Ceremony – (WATCH)

An impromptu kindness from strangers is a living example of the holiday spirit, and Wayne is a shining star.

“Thank you, good sir, for your service—then and now,” wrote Kate on social media. “You just renewed my faith in humanity.” ❤️

Watch the passengers join Wayne in a Jingle Bells singalong (starting at 22 seconds)…

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The Lengths Parents Will Go to Make Holidays Memorable For Their Kids: Poll

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By Artem Kniaz
By Artem Kniaz

In the spirit of making really memorable holiday magic, two in three parents are even pulling all-nighters to get it done.

That’s according to a new survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children that examined the lengths parents will go to make the holidays special, and found 66% have stayed up the entire night in a bid to get everything ready.

Sleep may be at a premium, because the average parent estimates they will be staying up past midnight five times during the holidays putting together all the preparations.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of HP, the survey results showed that the holidays this year might be even better than in years past, as three-quarters of parents (77%) feel some pressure to make them merrier.

Hiding their presents around the house or sending the kids on a treasure hunt were two of the fun ways parents have hyped the holiday magic.

Other extreme lengths that some of these parents have gone in order to make the holidays stand out include having someone get on the roof to recreate the sound of Santa’s boots, covering their floors with baby powder to showcase Santa’s footprints, and tying fishing line to their elf doll to make it fly.

When it comes to inspiration, Facebook is the biggest source for parents looking to create holiday magic (37%), followed by TV (34%) and other family members (30%).

And it’s not always easy to be original around excitable youngsters constantly wondering what’s next. Half of parents agreed that Christmas Eve was the toughest winter day to keep their kids entertained.

But, 86% consider festive activities to be “some of the best quality time” they spend with their families all year.

“The holidays can feel overwhelming, but enjoying the little moments with your loved ones is what the winter season is all about,” said Brittany Jepsen who partnered with HP to provide holiday printables.

One-third of parents report they’ve printed out paper crafts to help make memories and entertain their kids, and 42% have printed holiday decorations.

Visit their website to see HP’s free printable holiday activities, like blank coloring pages, gift tags, cards, foldable buildings, and finger puppets.

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“From decorating the house to listening to your favorite holiday playlist together, finding ways to spend time together help build the memories that really matter,” says Jepsen.

WHAT LENGTHS HAVE YOU GONE? Tell Us in the Comments or on Social Media…

Inspirational Artist Transforms Drab Hospital Rooms One View at a Time for Cancer Patients

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Good News Network
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LandEscape window mural painted in Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center – Colleen Wall
LandEscape window mural painted in Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center – Colleen Wall

An inspirational artist is giving patients a “window view” with murals designed to spark an escape from the sterile environment of chemotherapy, taking them on an imaginary journey to a sunny place.

Colleen Wall’s journey into the Arts & Healthcare field began in 1995, when she was diagnosed with cancer while four months pregnant. This life-changing experience fueled her passion for using art to uplift others facing similar battles.

After beating cancer, she served as an Artist in Residence on the oncology floor at Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, an experience that changed her perspective—and her mission—forever.

One spring morning, Colleen entered a patient’s room and remarked, “It’s such a beautiful day outside!” The patient, looked up from her bed and replied, “It always looks the same from here.”

That simple but powerful exchange sparked Colleen’s idea for a project: A View for a Room—Transforming Healthcare Spaces.

It was successfully funded with a crowd-funding Kickstarter campaign a decade ago, and it offered her the opportunity to go on a painting sabbatical where she created 20 inspirational paintings that she called LandEscapes.

Designed specifically for healthcare environments, the window-inspired paintings incorporate elements of nature, and always include roads and paths, to invite the viewer into the scene. They also feature words of encouragement and inspiring ideals.

Colleen Wall LandEscape painting, Embrace The Day

Colleen’s goal is to give every patient a view to a sunny, peaceful place, offering a mental escape from the confines of the hospital room and a reminder that better days are ahead.

Last month, she began painting her LandEscapes directly on walls at the Roswell Park Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, where ten window murals were recently installed.

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Colleen Wall LandEscape mural painting in Roswell Park Cancer Center of Buffalo

The nine window murals and one 29-foot community mural were installed in treatment rooms to mark National Arts & Healthcare month in November.

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“Spending long periods of time in a hospital room can feel isolating,” said Ms. Wall.

“These window paintings are meant to help patients feel as though they are not confined to a sterile room but instead can take an imaginary journey outside into nature.”

“It’s my way of sharing the hope that helped me through my own challenges.”

Learn more about her mission and view all the window paintings by visiting her website—and watch her Kickstarter video below…


SHARE THE GREAT IDEA With Painters or Hospital Workers On Social Media…

“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” – William Wordsworth

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” – William Wordsworth

Photo by: Aleksandra Sapozhnikova

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Ex-Paratrooper Who Survived a Horrific 1,000-ft Fall Now Breaks World Records as The Ultimate Runner

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Good News Network
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Veteran Jon Shield battled through deserts ice and jungles to become the first man ever to win the grueling Beyond the Ultimate's Global Race Series – SWNS
Veteran Jon Shield battled through deserts, ice and jungles to become the first man ever to win the grueling Beyond the Ultimate’s Global Race Series – SWNS

A former paratrooper who cheated death after plummeting 1,000-ft to the ground has overcome injuries to make amazing strides and become a record-breaking ultra runner.

The 41-year-old Superman is the first person ever to win all four of the world’s toughest races in extreme climates.

Since healing from injuries, Jon Shield has battled through jungles, deserts, frigid cold, and mountainous terrain, to become a champion of the ‘Beyond the Ultimate’ Global Race Series.

During the grueling races, competitors attempt to run a total of 565 miles (910km) in four marathons that are set among the world’s toughest environments.

Last month, Shield won the Desert Ultra Marathon in Namibia after completing the 155 miles course (250km) in 27 hours and 39 minutes.

He’s also won the Ice Ultra Marathon in the Arctic and just months later was victorious in the Jungle Ultra Marathon in Africa. Last year, he won the Mountain Ultra Marathon across the Tian Shan mountains in Asia with a near record time of 29 hours and 32 minutes.

The British man’s incredible feats of endurance came after the horrible accident in 2013 that left him unable to run for seven years.

He was in the Parachute Regiment when he undertook a 1,000-ft parachute jump at night. Complications led to Jon plummeting to the ground at high speed, smashing his ankle, knee, and hip. He underwent several surgeries but the injuries were so severe he was medically discharged from military service months later.

Eventually, Shield decided to retrain as a paramedic, so he could continue to serve his community of Shropshire, England—and it was while he started running to work that he became obsessed with Ultra Marathons.

Reflecting on his remarkable achievements following his parachuting accident, Jon said, “It’s amazing how far I’ve come.”

Jon Shield, running the Beyond the Ultimate desert race – SWNS

When he suffered the injuries, it was a night time training jump with a static line that deploys the parachute for you, as the height they were jumping from was very low.

“It’s pitch black and you can’t see anything and you drop ridiculously fast. You’re trying to listen, for a split second, listening to the equipment hitting the ground before you can break your fall.

The labral tear in his hip was the worst: “I wasn’t able to go cycling, running, or doing any cardio because of this pain in my groin area.

“I was determined to keep fit and push myself to the extremes. I had to overcome my injuries.”

But it’s always the case of what’s next.

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“It’s nice to have the acknowledgement that you’ve achieved something, but I never want to rest on my laurels. I’m always looking ahead to the next challenge.”

“You can do the most hideous of races and think ‘never again’, but then two days later you think you would do it again.

“A lot of people say the desert is the hardest, but I had no problems at all. I’d done heat training before, so when I got out there I raced hard on day one—after that I just cruised. I didn’t take any risks or chances.

“The jungle was my most difficult race. It was oppressively hot, around 97 degrees (36C). You were exposed to direct sunlight, with the humidity. I looked and felt absolutely dead.

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“We were racing in places (where) people had never run before. At one point you’re in a river for 15km (9mi).

“Ants and wasps were the main thing, and getting thorns in your hands. You’re told not to touch the trees or branches—some of them have massive spikes or ants on them.

“It’s five days, (and) all five stages are self-sufficient; you carry all your own food, your sleeping bag, and clothes. The only thing they give you is water.

“I’m very proud of winning the races. It wasn’t about the times, it was about making sure I was the first person to win the overall series.

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“You put yourself through everything, the insects and wildlife and the temperatures, you need to be very adaptable.

“I’m the first one to win the overall race series—and it feels great.

“Ever since I became interested in the races it’s been a goal to go out and win them.

SHARE THE TRIUMPH With Injured Runners Overcoming On Social Media…

Good News in History, December 8

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Good News Network
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By Roberto Nickson

101 years ago today, a sign was erected in the California hills advertising a new housing project called “Hollywoodland.” Real estate developers Woodruff and Shoults advertised it as a “superb environment without excessive cost on the Hollywood side of the hills.” Not only were, the lights eventually turned off because they became too expensive, but it’s now some of the most expensive real estate in general in the country. READ what happened next… (1923)

Continue

Midwife Created a Game-Changing Kangaroo Pouch for Babies Born via Caesarean Section

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Good News Network
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Marianne Hay and Stacey Boyle with Cozy Cuddle Scrubs (by Stacey) – SWNS
Marianne Hay and Stacey Boyle with Cozy Cuddle Scrubs (by Stacey) – SWNS

A midwife has created a “game-changing” kangaroo-style pouch that promises to upgrade neonatal care for babies delivered by Caesarean Section and improve outcomes for the tiny newborns.

Stacey Boyle invented the special top for birth partners to wear during surgery, instead of the normal scrubs. It features a pouch that allows vital skin-to-skin contact to take place as soon as a baby is born—while the surgical team shifts focus toward the mother and completing the procedure.

Babies delivered by Caesarean Section can be carefully placed into the sling-like pouch worn by the birth partner. The baby can nestle inside the top and reap all of the benefits of life-changing ‘skin-to-skin’ contact.

This has been proven to regulate temperature, stabilize heartbeat, support steady breathing, and even help with early feeding, as well as improve long term health outcomes, according to the health care team.

41-year-old Stacey came up with the pioneering idea while working in St John’s Hospital, in Livingston, Scotland, after noticing how challenging such contact was for a mom after this type of childbirth.

“We know how good skin-to-skin can be, but it can also be challenging because of the size of the table,” she said. “Most women were uncomfortable trying to do it and it can be unsafe for babies when mums are lying flat.

“More and more birth partners were interested in stepping up to do skin-to-skin, in the interim (and) I wondered if there was a way for partners to have the skin-to-skin contact without taking off their scrubs.”

Stacey approached her line manager, Marianne Hay and together they turned her idea into reality by helping to design and trial different types of material that would help keep babies at the right temperature.

Marianne said they created three different prototypes and found the most effective design to be one for which they used a recycled fleece jacket from the NHS (the UK’s National Health Service) as the covering material, with a secure Velcro opening which was sewn onto newly purchased scrubs.

Marianne Hay and Stacey Boyle with Cozy Cuddle Scrubs (by Stacey) – SWNS

After a huge team effort and lots of positive feedback from patients, Cozy Cuddle Scrubs (by Stacey), was born.

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Among those to benefit already is Sarah Kean, a 28-year-old mom who gave birth to a baby girl, Ayla, via C-Section on November 20—while her new dad Michael wore the scrubs.

“The scrubs Michael wore this time were very different from those at the birth of our two children,” Sarah reported.

“In our previous procedures, skin to skin contact was not made with our baby until I was in recovery approximately 30 minutes after they had been born.”

This time, Sarah was excited about the excellent outcome.

“It was incredible, Ayla was crying very loudly while her cord was being cut, and when she was weighed, but as soon as she was inside the scrubs with Michael, she settled and was very content.

“They were both able to sit next to me whilst my surgery was completed and I was moved into the recovery room, (compared to) when Michael had to leave the room immediately with the previous scrubs.”

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Michael agrees. “Having that skin-to-skin contact with Ayla was an incredibly magical moment, and it meant so much to be able to stay with her and my wife throughout the entire process.

“The scrubs were really comfortable, and it was so easy to secure Ayla in the pouch, keeping her wrapped up and cradled safely. I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to create that special bonding moment with their newborn.”

Alison MacDonald, the Nurse Director at NHS in Lothian, said: “By creating a solution that allows partners to provide vital skin-to-skin contact, she has taken an important step toward enhancing neonatal care and supporting families in those precious first moments.”

Alongside NHS Lothian’s Research and Development team, formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health helped protect and register the design, so it can now become more widely available through manufacturing partners. (Stay tuned for more information.)

Fiona Schaefer, at InnoScot Health, described it as “a game-changing innovation for promoting skin-to-skin contact with newborns.”

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“The scrubs have the potential to reach hospitals across the UK, and possibly even globally, improving neonatal care and outcomes for families.”

SHARE WITH C-SECTION PARENTS On Social Media…

New Solution for Metastatic Ovarian Cancer Based on Approach From Nearly a Century Ago Shrinks Tumors

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Good News Network
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Nan Zhang (left) studies cancer tumors in lab – Courtesy of The Wistar Institute
Nan Zhang (left) studies cancer tumors in lab – Courtesy of The Wistar Institute

A novel combination resulted in tumor regression during preclinical lab testing by scientists at the nonprofit Wistar Institute in Philadelphia.

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological cancer, with low survival rates because it is naturally resistant to chemotherapy, so its presence is difficult to combat anywhere in the body.

The cancer tends to metastasize through peritoneal fluid in the peritoneal cavity—around the stomach and intestines—which is naturally immunosuppressive, so limits the body’s response to any tumors.

To combat the challenging cancer, Nan Zhang, Ph.D. and his collaborators turned to a possible solution from nearly a century ago.

In the late 1800s & early 1900s, New York surgeon William B. Coley achieved a cure rate greater than 10% for some cancers by injecting patients with dead pathogens. Scientists later reasoned that this anti-cancer effect was the result of the immune system’s activation of myeloid cells—the plentiful cells in the peritoneal cavity—that when activated can mount a cancer-killing response.

Building on the concept, Zhang’s team designed an approach that specifically activates myeloid cells within the peritoneal cavity through combination treatment with beta-glucan, a pathogen-derived activator of myeloid cells, and interferon-gamma (IFNγ).

Preliminary reports suggest the approach can work to reverse the immunosuppression around tumors, leading to positive results.

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Their findings, published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, confirmed that this combination therapy worked when tested in preclinical lab models. After treating metastatic ovarian cancer models with both β-glucan and IFNγ, total tumor burden “shrank substantially”, relative to controls.

The disease reversal was consistent even in chemotherapy-resistant strains of ovarian cancer, which the team also modeled.

Supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the team announced their new approach on November 21, saying their discovery for treating ovarian cancer “shrinks tumors and improves survival rates, while simultaneously making tumors more receptive to chemotherapy treatment”.

“Our work has opened the door to a possible new method of treating a particularly aggressive cancer,” said Brennah Murphy, Ph.D., first author of the paper. “Ovarian cancer is infamous for resisting treatment, but we’ve shown—at the preclinical level—our treatment overcomes that resistance.”

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Dr. Nan Zhang in the lab – Courtesy of The Wistar Institute

“This is the first time researchers have been able to indirectly target ovarian cancer cells in peritoneal fluid by inducing an immune reaction, in preclinical models,” said Zhang, an assistant professor in the Wistar Institute’s Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program.

“We look forward to taking this research further—particularly our findings on the role of IL27—so we can continue to identify other strategies to improve this new anti-ovarian-cancer approach.”

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