Things I Love Thursday



Lots of lovely things I'm loving this week! Hopefully you'll spot some stuff to swoon over, too!

♥ these fun vintage swimsuits! ♥

♥ this precious kitten ♥

♥ this beautiful photo! ♥

this powerful statement ♥


♥ with all of his words of wisdom... michael scott! ♥


♥ this photo of miss denise bidot ♥


these treats! yum! ♥


♥ this gelato! ♥


♥ this house! (i'd be terrified though!) ♥


this 15 year old girl, Alice ♥
If you frequent Twitter or watch The Today Show then you probably already know about this 15 year old girl, Alice Pyne. Alice has been fighting cancer since she was 11 and it's finally catching up with her. She started a little blog which has grown into a sensation in it's 3 day span which documents her "bucketlist" of things she'd like to do before she goes. I found Alice's blog last night after a friend retweeted her hashtag (#alicebucketlist) and I did some exploring. One item on her list was to trend on Twitter. Well, it happened! And because of that, the world has heard Alice Pyne. I was reading her blog and her bucketlist, and I could tell she was sweet and inspiring. But what really got me was at the top of her bucketlist, just under "Have everyone be a Bone Marrow Donor" was to "Swim with sharks." Okay, so if you've read my blog for any length of time then you probably know that my life goal is to swim (free dive) with sharks (Great Whites). Here's a 15 year old girl with the same dream as me. I have my whole life to make it happen... she may not. I started reading up on the qualifications to become a donor and after reading everything I promised myself that if I met the qualifications and deemed healthy enough to register, then I'd do just that. After a lot of thought, I signed up. Even Mike doesn't necessarily understand my eagerness to help someone I'll probably never meet, but maybe it was just because I felt a connection. Without a doubt I probably won't be a match for Alice, but I could be for someone else. The odds are 1 in every 500 registered donors is actually a match, so the likelihood of actually donating is low, but it could make all the difference. Just knowing that I share the same dream as someone but they may not ever get to live it is heartbreaking. It's so inspiring to read all of the people offering to help Alice check things off of her list. She's meeting her favorite band, a family friend gifted her an iPad, etc. But the truth is that there are millions of other people just like Alice out there who need help. An endless supply of tech gadgets won't cure the disease. Instead, we of legal age and able body should truly consider giving the gift of life... while we're still here! I'm a firm believer in organ donation and I hope that anything I have can go to someone who desperately needs it after I've passed. But why wait? Of course bone marrow donation is not something to be taken lightly. It's a surgical procedure and often touted on being quite painful. But one or a few days of discomfort is quite small in comparison to millions of people fighting terminal diseases every day. Many of them being small children. We have the ability to change the lives of so many people. Just think, if every single one of us signed up, we might have 10 or 20 matches! Just in this blog's audience alone! If you're interested in learning more on how you can help with the transplant for a patient in need, visit Marrow.org and read up on Things to Consider Before Joining and check out the Bone Marrow Donation Process. It can be scary, but I'd like to think that if I ever got that call then I'd jump at the chance. Please keep in mind that it takes roughly $100 to add each donor to the registry. This money is paid for by people just like you and me, so only join if you are truly willing to make the commitment to anyone, anytime, anywhere. You could be the reason someone gets to graduate high school or go in a hot air balloon. Or in this case, swim with sharks. Just some food for thought! xo (Please know that I'm not judging you if it's not your thing! or if you're deemed unable to be a donor! Nothing like that! This is just something that is very special to me and I'm hoping that by writing about it and giving you the tools necessary, you can make an informed decision for yourself! Even if you're an unfit candidate, you can do so much for so many! Don't let that stop you! xo)

What are you loving this week?


PS; The winner of the LOVE dress giveaway is: #23 Peppermint Vintage!

25 comments:

  1. How very kind of you to have contributed somewhat to Alice's bucket list. I haven't heard of her, but now I have, thanks to this post. She truly is an inspiring individual!

    x Michelle | thefeatherden.net

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  2. Mmmm this post made me alternately happy, inspired, hungry, and emotional.

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  3. I recently signed up for One Match, which is the Canadian stem cell network.

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  4. Love these photos! I heard about Alice's story last night! I've always wanted to donate blood and platelets and have thought about bone marrow but I'm medically underweight so I'm not allowed, it's so frustrating because I find putting on weight next to impossible but I want to help. Well done for signing up, I completely understand your reasoning!

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  5. That house is so fantastic! It looks like a funhouse from an amusement park. :D

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  6. Squee! I have the shoes denise bidot's wearing in that picture! Yay!

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  7. Oh I love these pics....but I absolutely LOVE the vintage swim suits, the "wicker looking fun house" and of course Alices's blog! Things I loving this thursday are a lot more personal : A fab husband that watched the baby this morning so I could sleep in and my soar legs from a awful kickboxing class.
    Thanks xox Lisa

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  8. the photo of miss Denise bidot looks hot and the vintage swimsuits are adorable!!!

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  9. You are so sweet. I am ashamedly incredibly chicken about blood/organ donations but your post really makes me want to overcome that!

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  10. I would love to be able to donate blood or marrow as well, but I am deemed unfit by the profession (much too small/thin). Because I can't do that, my husband and I have a strong understanding that if I pass away young and/or my organs are viable they will all go to needful recipients.

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  11. Some cute things. I came across Alice's list the other day and was warmed by it. It really further instilled my need to do things with my life and experience so much. I hope she meets all of her goals. I'd definitely become an organ donor to some extent when I pass but because Im ill the bone marrow thing isn't an option to me. Good ony you for you doing it though sweet!

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  12. Wow, thanks for sharing the info on Alice. I am heading over to check out her blog now.

    I also loved your adorable kitten pic. Love that its the same position, just later.

    The gelato looks so amazing. I once had authentic gelato in Europe. Nothing like it.

    That house is totally awesome!

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  13. i'm so excited i won the giveaway!!! :)

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  14. yay for you becoming a donor! i'm quite passionate about donating blood and am also a registered organ donor. i might not be a doctor and be able to save lives that way, but every two months when i donate blood i have the potential to save lives :)

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  15. an inspiring post. i just heard of alice this morning via twitter and it really is amazing how things go so far round the world so quickly thanks to the internet-it is good for something! you've made me want to look into becoming a donor-you're so right, if we all offered just think what a difference it could make to so many people. btw on something more light hearted-that kitten is adorable and the house is amazing!

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  16. I love that you're considering the possibility of becoming a live donor :) I donated my kidney last April, and I can honestly say it has changed my life, my perspective, my everything! If you have any questions or anything please don't hesitate to contact me.... I've never donated bone marrow, buuuuut I can share a little about the emotional roller coaster that comes along with the experience! You rock :)

    Karatangerine (at) gmail (dot) com

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  17. Kaelah,

    Your thoughts on Alice, her bucket list, and organ donation were moving and inspiring.

    Thanks,

    Alison :)

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  18. I joined the bone marrow register here in the UK in 2001. I have never been called up to donate but just knowing I'm on their list is really important to me. I joined when a young girl from my town needed a donor. She sadly never found one and I felt it just highlighted how many more donors are needed.
    In particular men and ethnic minorities are in short supply on the register. So if your in the UK try and get your men to join too!!!

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  19. Things I love today: Your blog!
    Your clothes are freaking cute, I love your hair, tattoos & piercings! I've just fallen in love with your whole blog! xx

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  20. Such a super-adorable mix of floral prints!!

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  21. Such nice words about marrow donation. It's really great that you signed up to be a donor! Such a sad thing about that little girl, but I'm glad she's checking things off her list!

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  22. I signed up to be a bone marrow donor awhile back when there was a sick little girl that Rhianna was helping out. I'm of Caribbean descent and apparently there's a huge shortage of matches for minority-types.

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  23. Wow, this really touched me.
    My husband has a rare immune deficiency. Fortunately we live in Canada where treatment is paid for by the government, but if we lived in the states it would cost him over $2000 every three weeks. Most US citizens die from it because they cant afford the treatment and the diagnosis is such a long and expensive process.

    The only real cure for it would be a bone marrow transplant.

    I always assumed I'd donate mine to him if I was a match...but never really thought about other people. This post inspired me and I am now signed up for OneMatch - The Canadian stem cell and marrow network.

    Thanks Kaelah!

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HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB