Helping Hearts, Blog of Anne Sanders

I’ve talked about a lot of things on this blog. About women’s mental health, about men’s prostate cancer, about being raped when I lived in Japan and my thyroid problems. It hasn’t always been bad. I’ve also talked about how wonderful it was to raise money to fight back against cancer and the angels that helped me do it. Now it’s time to talk about something I’ve never covered before—cervical cancer. It’s Cervical Health Awareness Month. I have to be honest. I’ve never had it, but I’ve known many people who have had tumors and have had their ovaries or cervix removed because of them. In fact, I was so aware of this being a problem for women that I read a book about Fran Drescher’s experience having gynecological cancer. Her book and website is called Cancer Schmancer and is about how it took eight different doctors over two years of symptoms to finally diagnose her uterine cancer. Most of us don’t have the time, money or tenacity to go through that yet if we’re diagnosed ear...

This year marks the 20 th year of the federal AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps is the network of local, state, and national service programs that connects over 80,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet community needs in education, the environment, public safety, health, and homeland security. AmeriCorps’ members serve with more than 2,000 non-profits, public agencies, and community organizations. Today, I am interviewing AmeriCorps member Trevor Sikes about his experience in AmeriCorps. 1.       You’ve been an AmeriCorps member for how long now? Tell us a little bit about yourself, how you learned about AmeriCorps, and why you applied to the program.   My name is Trevor Sikes and I’m originally from Saratoga, Wyoming.   I went to college in Olympia, Washington at the Evergreen State College and majored in foreign affairs and cultural studies.   I have been an AmeriCorps NPRC member for about a year and a half. I am current...

I’ve mentioned briefly that I’m trying something new in the way of volunteering. Many of you know that I’ve been a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, have captained a Relay for Life team, and now am on the steering committee for my local Relay for Life. In fact, today I will be out recruiting teams and sponsors for that very Relay. But now, I have a new charity that I am learning about in a different way. I’ve also been pursuing a master’s degree in instructional technology and in my last semester (which I’m in now, oh yeah!) I must do a field experience such as an internship or real world project. I looked for an internship which is what I really wanted to do, but instead I found not one, but two projects to do. One is for the First Circuit Court of Florida. My university is helping them put a face-to-face course they teach online and I’m on the team to make that happen. The other is for the American Red Cross. The Red Cross is an organization that I’ve admire...

This weekend is a weekend of prayer. Tomorrow is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. According to the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) a n estimated 27 million people are trafficked globally on an annual basis. NCR reports some amazing data. Did you know human trafficking is growing in the crime industry, second in scope only to the drug trade and equal to arms? Revenue from human trafficking is estimated at more than $32 billion annually.  Can you imagine 27 million people being abducted and forced to do what their captors wish? Can you imagine it happening to someone you love? It might be hard to think about, but it does happen every day. People are taken; people are enslaved; people aren’t free. For Northwest Florida locals, tomorrow is the Not My Child Human Trafficking Awareness event at the Pelican Beach Resort Conference Center in Destin. It’s an event to prevent sexual exploitation on the Emerald Coast. Here are more events across the nation. Last Janu...

In 2013 for the first post of the new year, I made a list. Not of resolutions, but of actions, actions you could take to “change the world.” They were personal things like opening a savings account with Able Banking , because they give $25 to charity when you do as well as a percentage of the interest you earn. It’s something like what I post on the main page of my website in the Today’s Ways to Help section and my list of Cost-Free Ways to Help Others . For 2014, I want to continue the tradition, but with a twist. I’m still going to list things you can do to help charities, but this time I want to focus on ways to raise larger amounts of money. People have asked me for ideas on how to do this and I want to give you some tips for 2014. These ideas aren’t as easy as opening a savings account, but they are more rewarding. For these ideas, you need the help of others. As someone who has led a team of people devoted to a cause, I must say it is an amazing feeling when it all comes...

If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money? Dreams of new houses, cars, trips and jewelry may have just begun dancing through your head. It’s a fun game to play.  And of course, you would give some money to charity, too.  I recently inherited some money and have both enjoyed the idea of giving some of it away and then have been stuck on where to give it, not because there aren’t enough worthy charities, but because there are so many. Truly, it hasn’t been that hard. I have given to several charities which I support regularly. What about $40 million, what would you do with it? Fulfill your needs (and a few wants), help out your family and then put some away for a rainy day?  Or would you give it all away? If you’re Tom Crist you would. The Canadian lottery winner didn’t even tell his children he won for seven months.  He had what he needed to live, to take care of his children, but what he didn’t have was his wife. She had died ...

With only five days to go, Christmas is getting closer but it's not too late to do something to make a difference this holiday. The unique gift items below can be given with the best intentions—to help others. You can send the notice of the present by email or in many cases, you can print out your own card to hand to your friend or family member.    1.        Spend $25 or more to free forced labor slaves with International Justice Mission . 2.       A sheep from Heifer International  - A share is $10 while a whole sheep is $120. Heifer provides all kinds of animals from chicks to water buffalo to families that can use them to generate income and useful resources for the family. 3.       A chicken from Mercy Corps International  - for $35, it provides eggs and future hatchlings as well. 4.       A water purifier from O...