Giving Something Each Day May Keep the Doctor Away
Woman with Multiple Sclerosis sends healing message and starts a worldwide giving movement with 29-Day Giving Challenge. Givers commit to the Challenge and give away 29 gifts in 29 days. People sign up on social networking website at www.29Gifts.org where they can share stories in personal blogs and exchange giving suggestions with others.
Los Angeles (Vocus/PRWEB ) — Feeling desperate and hopeless after spending eight days in the hospital related to multiple sclerosis, 35-year-old Cami Walker, decided to take an odd “prescription” from an African medicine woman. The remedy? Give away one thing each day for 29 days.
“I thought the suggestion was crazy at first, but decided it wasn’t going to hurt me to try it. Things couldn’t get much worse,” said Walker. “I was shocked by how quickly things turned around for me. By day 14, I was able to walk without my cane and many of my MS symptoms subsided. I was able to start working part-time again by day 29.”
Now, several months and many daily gifts later, Walker says she is still improving. Walker was so inspired by the changes in her health and other areas of her life that she decided to turn the 29-Day Giving Challenge into a worldwide giving movement. Today 29Gifts.org has givers taking part from all over the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.
Many of Walker’s fellow givers are dealing with serious health challenges, including various forms of cancer, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, post-polio syndrome, and multiple sclerosis. And many are reporting positive changes in their conditions.
Givers commit to the Challenge by signing up on a social networking website where they can share stories in personal blogs and meet other givers. Their gifts can be anything: time, money, things, or kind words. Over 1,200 inspiring giving stories have been posted on the community site at www.29Gifts.org.
Sarah Conner, age 43, started her 29-Day Giving Challenge while in treatment for breast cancer. On the 29Gifts.org community site, Conner shared with another member who also has cancer, “My tumor is responding to treatment. The 29-Day Giving Challenge has been important for me in retaining a sense of myself as someone who can give things to others. I was getting so much from my support network — emotional support, practical help, little treats — I wanted to focus on giving back.”
“Giving is a way to focus on what’s right with me instead of what’s wrong,” said Walker. “The simple addition of giving mindfully to another person each day has improved my state of mind and had a positive impact on my health–far more than any medication I take. I’m experiencing fewer MS symptoms and when problems do flare up I cope better with them.”
More information about the 29-Day Giving Challenge, and a video interview with Walker, is available at www.29gifts.org.
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I think this is the ultimate secret to success at anything. Give of yourself to provide something of value to someone else.
It can be as simple as asking someone, sincerely, “how is your day going today?”
I do that with everyone I meet, pretty much every day.
-Brett
Brett Legree’s last blog post..week 1 – report card.
I agree Brett.
Ultimately I think the currency that flows into my life, whether that’s monetary, relational, or any other type of ‘currency’ is directly related to my contribution to the world. If I don’t contribute much to the world, I shouldn’t expect much in return.
Colin
And it’s so true how much the focus is taken off yourself when you’re giving to others. I do believe that a reason people become worse is that they can’t help but obsess over their ailments, whether in fear or for whatever reason. Focusing on them only gives them power.
-S
Colin,
Exactly – it is a two-way street, or a karma thing. Paying it forward really works.
Steph – that kind of reminds me of Mother Teresa, in a way (though I don’t know if she was sick at all through her life – just that she seemed almost indestructible because she was giving so much).
Brett Legree’s last blog post..week 1 – report card.
Brett: I know what you mean. I think it was a shock to many when she actually died. As though they remembered she was indeed human.
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