St Judes Research Hospital Essay Example for Free

St Judes Research Hospital Essay â€Å"Shortly after Hayden’s fifth birthday, he began having headaches and nausea. At first, the doctor thought he had migraines and asked his mother to keep a record of when his head hurt. After only a short period of time, Hayden’s headaches grew more frequent. Then, he began having trouble with the vision in his right eye causing him to see double. It was at this point, his mother knew there was a bigger issue at hand. Hayden was referred to an ophthalmologist for further testing. When the doctor examined Hayden’s eyes closely, he saw abnormal swelling and immediately ordered a CT scan. The results were upsetting: There was a mass on Hayden’s brain. He underwent surgery to remove the tumor, after which a biopsy revealed more devastating news: Hayden suffered from a type of brain tumor called Medulloblastoma. Hayden’s parents had heard about St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and immediately asked their doctor for a referral. † Hayden’s story comes from St. Jude’s Research Hospital website. He’s featured as this month’s â€Å"Patient of the Month†. Hayden is an adorable 6 year old boy with a beautiful smile. Other than the fact that he has no hair, you would never know that he’s been through more than most of us will endure in a lifetime. What is Medulloblastoma? It’s a highly malignant primary brain tumor which is most common in children. Re-occurrence of Medulloblastoma is almost always fatal, so fast evasive treatment is critical the first time it’s diagnosed. There are several sound reasons’ to support the St.  Jude’s Research Hospital. I’m going to tell you why you should support St. Jude’s Research Hospital, starting with its humble beginnings as a good deed by a wealthy famous man turning a personal promise into one of the most successful charities in the United States and ending with the impact it’s had on medicine today. A A good deed by a famous, wealthy man doesn’t seem all that remarkable. Hollywood stars do it all the time. But this story is particularly significant. St. Jude’s Research Hospital was founded by television star Danny Thomas. He worked with the likes of Doris Day and acted in roles on The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show and The Mob Squad. His professional career was a resume that spanned several decades. But his most remarkable accomplishment was the foundation of St. Jude’s Research Hospital. Danny Thomas was a devout catholic. Early in his career, while still a struggling actor with a new family he prayed for an answer on how to proceed in his life. He made a promise to build a shrine in honor of St.  Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes, if he could only proceed with and find success in his career as an entertainer. He never forgot that prayer or that promise. The shrine he built was opened in 1962 in Memphis Tennessee and stands today as a pillar of hope for families of children with cancer around the world. St. Jude’s Research Hospital was founded on the premise that any needy child would be able to receive care regardless of race, religion or the ability to pay, a hospital where no suffering child would be turned away. Danny Thomas lived until 1991 to witness the miracle his promise to St. Jude created. His children continue to participate and avidly support St. Jude’s Research Hospital today. Without a most sincere prayer of faith during a time of great need, this world could have been in a very different place. B Cone Communications, a public relations and marketing agency puts together an annual list of the top 100 non-profit power brand companies in the US. St. Jude’s Research Hospital ranks #18 on the list with top leaders such as: 1.  YMCA 2. United Way 3. American Red Cross This is significant considering St. Jude’s is one hospital accomplishing this. The other charities I mentioned are based all over the country. St. Jude boasts nearly 5 million donors and 1 million volunteers. St. Jude was named for the 6th year in a row as one of the top institutions in the annual â€Å"Best Places to Work in Academia† by Scientist Magazine in July 2011. They are one of the best employers as a research and learning hospital. St.  Jude’s Research Hospital follows the Better Business Bureau â€Å"Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability†. This means that St. Jude’s Research Hospital fully discloses basic information about their services and their fundraising. There is nothing to hide! You have a right as the consumer and donor to ask those questions and you can find that information. What are the differences between St. Jude’s and other charities? Most charities focus on one key marketing or fundraising area. St. Jude’s target for marketing fundraising is far larger than most charities. Their target; preschoolers, professionals, 8th graders and 80 year olds, television, radio, local drives, school drives, trike-a-thons, math-a-thons, local, county, state and national events. Some of the big ones that you may be familiar with; the â€Å"Dream Home Giveaway†, the â€Å"Thanks and Giving Campaign† and the radio-a-thon â€Å"Country Cares†. Because of last year’s St. Jude’s NFL event, 18% of American’s said they planned to support St. Jude’s â€Å"Thanks and Giving Campaign† during this past holiday season. No opportunity is turned away. Comparing St.  Jude’s Research Hospital with other powerhouse charities such as The Susan G Koman foundation and American Cancer Society here are a few facts to consider: * The CEO for The Susan G Koman Foundation doesn’t make any money – she is the founder and therefore choses to forgo that expense leaving it in the foundation’s budget. The Susan G Koman Foundation is much smaller than St. Jude’s when talking about total revenue. Susan G Koman foundation keeps their general and administrative expenses well below 10% of their annual revenue in order to give back through outreach programs and funding valuable research. The CEO for the American Cancer Society has an income of almost a million dollars a year. Preventcancer. com reported in 1988 that the American Cancer Society was the world’s wealthiest non-profit institution. Only 26% went to medical research programs and the rest to operating expenses which included about 60% for generous salaries, pensions, executive benefits and overhead. Nationally, less that 16 percent of all money raised is spent on direct services to cancer victims. * The CEO for St. Jude’s Research Hospital has an income that’s less than 200,000 a year. In 2009, 74% of St.  Jude’s revenue went to patient care, research and education, training and community services, 17% to fundraising and only 9 percent to administrative costs. Why do I tell you these numbers? According to the August 2010 Charity Navigator CEO Compensation Study, the average median income for the CEO of a Charity is in the 100,000 to 200,000 dollar annual income range and it is considered healthy to pay income for CEO’s rather than expect free services for a number of reasons. The differences in the percentages of revenue going to research, treatment or administrative expenses tell the real story though. St. Jude’s uses many powerful connections, they have a â€Å"star-studded roster† like many charitable foundations, they’ve made brilliant marketing decisions and created a variety of programs which reach out to a much wider variety of consumers and business’ than other charities of its kind. C Today St. Jude’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized. St. Jude’s is a pioneer in research and treatment of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases: 1. They are the first and only comprehensive cancer care center devoted only to children funded by the national cancer institute 2.  They are the only private cancer center in the US committed to caring for and supporting children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases regardless of the family’s financial or healthcare resources. 3. Ranked as one of the best pediatric cancer hospitals in the country 4. They coordinate several cancer studies and continues to do pediatric cancer research 5. They are also now the leader in sickle cell disease research 6. They play a significant role in the research for influenza. 7. They treat over 5,700 patients per year

So Far From God Essays -- essays research papers

Eisenhower, John S. D. So Far From God: The U. S. War with Mexico 1846 – 1848. New York: Random House, 1989, xxvi, 436. Mr. John Eisenhower is a retired Army General from Westchester, Pennsylvania. He is also the son of retired General and later President, Dwight D. Eisehower. He is an author as well as a military historian. Mr. Eisenhower’s other works include, The Bitter Woods, published in 1987 and critically acclaimed by Life magazine author, S. L. A. Marshall as being â€Å"written with power by a true military historian.† Reviews of his work from The New Yorker and New York Times Book Review describe his accounts as â€Å"Exceptionally interesting† and â€Å"Written with enthusiasm that is hard to resist.† Using his military background, Mr. Eisenhower was able to bring an unbiased opinion to the U. S. war with Mexico by pointing out strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the conflict. The author’s purpose is to provide a more accurate account of the war with Mexico from 1846 – 1848. Mr. Eisenhower also attempts to give the reader a better understanding of the conflict between these two countries, which has been overshadowed by the Civil War, thirteen years later. John Eisenhower’s portrayal of the officers and politicians in this conflict is detailed and it highlights the early careers of many of our Civil War legends. The technology of warfare at this time is well depicted. The advances in American artillery such as the use of the grape shot over canister rounds, the superior d...

A Review of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed Essay

Few educational thinkers have been more widely influential than Paulo Freire. His classic text, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, has been studied by numerous Left intellectuals, political activists, radical educationists and liberation theologians for almost four decades. Freire’s ideas and theories have been applied by academics, school teachers, adult literacy coordinators, church leaders, counselors, psychologists, social workers, health professionals, language learning specialists, and prison rehabilitation workers, among others. In addition, Freire has inspired (directly or indirectly) thousands of books, articles, interviews, theses, videos, and even theater productions over the years. When he died on 2 May 1997 Freire left an extensive body of written work and a legacy of memorable educational and political achievements. In this light, this paper reviews and critiques Pedagogy of the Oppressed and how this book relates to my work as an elementary teacher. Overview of the Book Drawing on his experiences with rural peasant communities and the urban poor in Brazil and Chile, Freire theorized an intimate connection between education and the process of becoming more fully human. Chapters 1 and 3 of Pedagogy of the Oppressed set out Freire’s ontological and ethical ideas in comprehensive and lucid detail, and Chapter 4 provides an extensive consideration of the politics of domination at a macro level. The discussion of education is primarily located in Chapter 2, and literacy does not figure as prominently as it does in a number of Freire’s other texts. Pedagogy of the Oppressed develops the distinction between banking education and problem-posing education. Freire rejects a banking model of the teaching process in favor of a problem-posing approach, and encourages students to adopt a curious, questioning, probing stance in exploring educational issues. Freirean education demands a deep commitment to the goal of building a better social world, and necessitates active resistance against oppressive structures, ideas, and practices (Roberts, 2000). Some of the theoretical areas explored in Pedagogy of the Oppressed include questions about structure and rigor in liberating education, the nature of critical reading and writing, legitimate and oppressive uses of authority in the classroom, and the process of study. Freire also explores the role of intellectuals in resisting dominant ideas and practices, dialectical thinking and education, the dynamics of dialogue, the distinction between facilitating and teaching, and the bearing language difficulties have on education. In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Freire writes that most of Latin Americans living in economic and politically dependent part-societies feel powerless and have internalized the ruling group’s view of them as unalterably stupid. Before participating in the culture groups, words and other codifications in movies and television are seen by them as tools that can be wielded by the rich and powerful only, while they are fated to be objects of culture. This attitude changes as they become conscious of their feelings and social position. Then they begin to see that their condition worsens if they submit to the seductions of the modern consumer culture, spending what little money they have for packaged entertainment and manufactured goods. They discover they are giving up their birthright as creators of culture, turning against their own art and artisan work to gain the illusion of participation in the modern society. They are further motivated as they discover that only they can codify their unique experience. In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Freire reports that after analyzing the unreal and sometimes contemptuous messages in many standard texts available to them, they want to create their own texts. Critique Freire views man’s nature which is humanistic and optimistic. For Freire, education is humanizing when it is critical, dialogical, and praxical (Roberts, 2000). Man is unique among animals in his ability to shape himself and his environment. While all things change, only man is a purposive agent in change. Man’s nature is to continually create himself through an interactive process of purposive reflection and action in life situations. Wherever these two aspects of human behavior are divorced, men are victims of a social system which encourages them to see themselves as acted upon, passive things, rather than subjects who act upon the world. Conforming, apathetic behavior is the evidence of repressive relationships. Welfare programs which rob men of their initiative amount to false generosity. For Freire, education should increase political consciousness. In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, he argues that the oppression of peasants is partly maintained by their acceptance of their situation as an unalterable fact of existence. Freire feels that this fatalism reflects an internalization of the oppressor; thus, the oppressed is not for himself, but is ambivalent or even hostile to the idea of liberating himself. For this reason, liberation cannot be given to the oppressed; rather, the oppressed as an organized collective must take an active part in liberating themselves (Pitts, 1972). According to Torres (1993): â€Å"Freire’s global purpose transcends a criticism of the current educative forms, and goes on to virtually become a criticism of culture and the construction of knowledge. In short, the basic assumptions of Freire’s works lie in a dialectical epistemology for interpreting the development of human consciousness in its relationships with reality. † (p. 125) For Freire, the primary problems and issues of education are not pedagogical issues. Instead, they are political issues. The schooling system does not change society; instead, society can change the schooling system. However, the educational system may play a vital role in a cultural revolution, which implies the conscious participation of the masses. As a cultural praxis, critical pedagogy contributes to lifting the ideological veil in people’s consciousness. In addition, revolution itself is a meaningful pedagogy for the masses – Freire has spoken of revolutions as a continuing political workshop. Freire’s proposal is an anti-authoritarian though directivist pedagogy, where teachers and students are teaching and learning together. Since education is the act of knowing, teacher-student and student-teacher should engage in a permanent dialogue characterized by its horizontal relationship, which does not preclude power imbalances or different everyday living experiences and knowledge. This is a process taking place not in a classroom, but in a cultural circle. â€Å"There is not a ‘discursive’ knowledge but a knowledge starting from the living everyday and contradictory experience of teachers-students/students-teachers. Certainly this set of notions dismantles the most important framework of authoritarian pedagogy and, to this extent, appears as a ‘counter-hegemony’ practice and ideology within teacher training institutions. † (Torres, 1993, p. 126) One thing I like about Pedagogy of the Oppressed is that the oppressed are not seen as a passive force. In the book, Freire states that oppression must cease and it can; but the oppressed must liberate themselves. How can the oppressed, as divided, unauthentic beings, participate in the pedagogy of their liberation? According to Freire, for them to be able to wage the struggle for their liberation, peasants and urban poor must perceive the reality of their oppression not as a closed world from which there is no exit but as a limiting situation which they can transform. The problem that arises from banking education is that the ruling classes are not merely contented with the defense of their material privileges; they also insist on the preservation of their cultural hegemony. The culture that co-exists with their economic dominance is one that demands silence, fatalism, superstition, self-contempt, subservience and all forms of false consciousness on the part of the masses. Education provided by these dominant classes must therefore be authoritarian and banking education. How then is one to carry out Freire’s program under the existing social order? Freire is aware of the problem and the further one reads, the more one senses that the Pedagogy of the Oppressed is really written for subversive elements already in action (Mkandawire, 1975). Freire’s egalitarian methodology for education as espoused in Pedagogy of the Oppressed is intended to be politically subversive of oppressive regimes. It seems likely, however, that it could serve to legitimate opposition to any routinized form of delegated authority. For Freire, development is nonmaterial, and the unit of development is not the nation but the individual. For these reasons, it is unlikely that any government will attempt to follow Freire’s methodology to its most radical implications (Pitts, 1972). The Pedagogy of the Oppressed has attracted many criticisms over the years. Those who consider education as a technical or neutral process have complained that Freire’s approaches politicize teaching and learning. Freire’s refusal to provide â€Å"packages† has irritated those who seek clear-cut methodological solutions to educational problems (Roberts, 2000). The use of the male pronoun in Pedagogy of the Oppressed and other early writings has been particularly attacked. Also, the idea of promoting a critical mode of consciousness has been questioned. Furthermore, Freire’s focus on social class (at the expense of gender and ethnicity) in his early analyses of oppression has been rendered problematic by a number of contemporary educational theorists. Others suggest that Freire should have devoted more space in his books to class theory. Some critics have argued that the pedagogy proposed by Freire, contrary to its professed aims, constitutes a form of cultural invasion. Finally, as post-modern ideas have gained increasing currency in recent times, universalist assumptions in Freire’s ethic, epistemology, and pedagogy have come under fire. Despite these criticisms, it is undoubted that Pedagogy of the Oppressed has left an important legacy to education. Application Freire knew the world and problems of teachers regarding pedagogy. The Pedagogy of the Oppressed answers my questions on how to move my students to become self-motivating learners. I learned that I could not move them. Following Freire’s pedagogy, teachers could only help their students learn to move themselves. The thoughts conveyed in the book are indeed seditious but they did not transform me overnight. However, Freire’s theories have planted on me seeds of a new way of thinking. Upon reading the book, I realized that the learners and their mindset is more fundamental than the curriculum – not more important, it is just more fundamental. In addition, I learned that one’s view of the world determines what can be learned. According to the book, learning is dependent on environment and emotion as well as on presentation, materials, and text. Importantly, the Pedagogy of the Oppressed suggests the danger to learning of oppression in the classroom environment. Thus, there should be no hierarchy in the classroom as the teachers and the students are both learners in this environment. Accordingly, instructions and curriculums should be oriented towards the learners creating and solving their own problems. In other words, knowledge construction and collaborative learning are encouraged. Conclusion This paper has reviewed Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed and how this book relates to my work as an elementary teacher. This discussion of Freire’s ideas on formal education has been brief and selective. In so being, it does not communicate the immense richness of his thoughts on such matters as the universal nature of man’s humanity Freire’s rejection of and banking model of the teaching process in favor of a problem-posing approach. However, if the readers have gained from this review some appreciation of how Freire’s thoughts are applied in the classroom environment, the review will have served its purpose.

Sample of Global Warming Essay

Sample of Global Warming Essay Global Warming – Hot Button Issue One of the most discussed and debated issues nowadays are global warming and its direct and indirect influence on the humanity and on the Earth as a whole. One of the biggest concerns of the global warming is its unexplored nature and, in the majority of cases, unknown patterns. What have changed during the last decade and what made this topic go on the top lines of the scientific researches? If ten or even seven years ago we were talking about global warming as one of the possible problems without clear perception of how it can really change our lives, today we have to face some of the evident consequences of what scientists call an increase in the near-surface average temperature of the Earth. And this practical experience makes us more aware and alert about global warming and the risks it may pose to humanity. The variety of opinions leaves a great room for creativity and doubts to those who has only a helicopter view on this issue. Should you decide to go through the critical enviromentalists’ ideas and prognoses for climate change, such as the one presented by B. Lomborg, familiarize yourself with scientific climatologists’ reports of R. Alley or dive into religious discussion about climate change: you will hardly be able to build a clear understanding of the real meaning of this climate phenomena. Global warming not only attracts attention of scientists or philosophical and religious institutions but also is extensively debated on the political arena. The attention brought to this issue is, by itself, the best proof of how highly affected and insecure the humanity is in the face of nature. The fact is that we