Raise your hand if you haven’t heard enough bad news in 2020. I thought so. We know we are not yet out of this pandemic, but I am not going to talk about any of that today. Instead, let me share the top five good news stories coming out of this past year…news that has been reported, but may not have reached all of you given a plentitude of COVID and related news. This is not my usual focus on elders and the families who support them, but I think good news may be in order. Please let me know which of these you may want to learn more about.
- Eliminating Cancer: Scientists from Australia reported lab results that perhaps promise a vaccine for a number of blood cancers as well as some malignancies such as breast, ovarian, pancreatic, lung, renal and glioblastoma.
- Food Insecurity: The Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 went to the World Food Programme for supporting almost 100 million people who have been victims of hunger and malnutrition in nearly 90 countries
- Artificial Eyesight: A team of scientists from around the world collaborating in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have created a spherical eye with 3D vision capabilities. It is being refined for use in humans as well as possibly in humanoid robots.
- Cleanup on Plastic: This is a list all countries should be on, but so far, it is Ghana, Vietnam and Indonesia who have committed to cut their plastic waste by 100%, 75% AND 70%, respectively by 2025. They are partners in the Global Plastic Partnership.
- Water on the Moon: Okay, many of you are familiar with the 1968 Movie based on the book, 2001: A Space Odyssey. There is more water on the moon than has been thought, and that means that a sustainable base for humans on the moon may be within reach. By the by, there are plans to launch a woman and a man to the moon in 2024.
Let’s put 2020 in our rearview mirror and look forward to more good news in 2021. Remember your masks, remember your social distance, remember to wash your hands and look to a better future.
Charlotte Bishop is an Aging Life Care Advisor, Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Care Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families in metropolitan Chicago. She also is the co-author of How Do I Know You? A Caregiver’s Lifesaver for Dealing with Dementia.
