Be curious, not judgmental
Vol. 4, Issue 1
THE GOOD NEWS
Monumental medical victories
While many terrible events occurred in 2024, there were several advances in medicine that will hopefully make the future a better place.
For example, nine countries eliminated a disease. According to the World Health Organization, Brazil and Timor Leste crushed lymphatic filariasis, the parasite that causes elephantiasis. Cape Verde and Egypt are now malaria-free. Chad eradicated a form of sleeping sickness. Jordan became the first country to be certified as leprosy-free. And, India, Pakistan and Vietnam stamped out trachoma, a bacterial infection that causes blindness.
In 2024, the FDA approved a new type of drug to treat schizophrenia. Unlike other antipsychotic medications, Cobenfy targets cholinergic receptors in the brain, rather than dopamine receptors, and helps to reduce delusions, disorganized thinking and hallucinations. Best of all, it reportedly causes fewer and less debilitating side effects. This is particularly important because people with schizophrenia often stop taking their pills due to the terrible side effects. Without their meds, the psychotic symptoms return.
A surgical team performed the world's first transplant of a genetically edited pig kidney into a living human. Before the procedure, researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to remove harmful pig genes from the kidney and insert human genes to help reduce rejection of the organ. Richard Slayman, 62, was living with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and end-stage kidney disease when he agreed to undergo the experimental operation. Although he only survived for two months after the surgery, his bravery has helped advance the xenotransplantation field. The terrible practice of waiting for years to receive a matching organ -- or never receiving one at all -- may soon be at an end.
A pioneering form of gene therapy is helping children with hereditary deafness regain their hearing. DFNB9 is caused by a gene mutation that interferes with the transmission of sound signals from the ear to the brain. Researchers gave six young patients an inactive virus that carried a functioning version of the gene into their inner ears. Half a year later, five of the six children could hear and carry on a conversation.
There's also a new over-the-counter test on the market that can detect both COVID-19 and the flu in about 15 minutes. If you figure out what your symptoms mean, you can properly and swiftly treat them. The Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test can now be purchased at a local drug store without a prescription. After a bit more development, we may soon have an at-home test that can distinguish between COVID, flu and RSV.
Extra, extra! Read all about it.
As a child, I entertained myself by pretending to be a journalist. I'd rewrite newspaper stories in broadcast style, draw pictures to serve as accompanying graphics and create an entire newscast. I even made commercials to "pay" for the whole affair. Then, at 6 p.m., I'd turn over the small table in my bedroom and do the nightly news for my family. Not surprisingly, I eventually joined the press, first in newspapers, then on the radio and finally online (I don’t have a face for TV). Thirty-four years later, I'm still reporting the news.
But I'm not the only child who had a need to know and a desire to share what he found:
Eleven-year-old Joseph Zyber recently became a newspaperman. For the past few months, he’s created a single-page weekly newspaper filled with stories about the road where he lives in Boston. Each Monday, Zyber hand-delivers The Waterman News to his neighbors.
Keep it up, kid. We need more local journalists who are willing and able to do some good, old-fashioned shoe-leather reporting.
FMI: Click here.
An excellent motto
By the numbers
I launched A Bit of Good News in January 2019 and since then, it's undergone a few formatting changes. Yet, the heart of the newsletter has remained the same: to bring you joy, hope and moments of kindness. Here are a few stats that might interest you, my curious readers:
* The majority of Good Newsers read each issue in email. The rest access the newsletter via the Substack app, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn and Threads.
* According to the newsletter service Mailchimp, the average email open rate is 44%. On average, the email open rate for A Bit of Good News is 57%. (I'm aiming even higher this year!)
* A Bit of Good News is read by people in 42 U.S. states and 28 countries.
* Based on the emails I’ve received, readers’ favorite sections are: the good news, the poll and the fun holidays.
* Good Newsers are also big fans of the following publications:
In 2025, I'm looking forward to sharing even more positive news stories, fun videos, inspiring quotes and tips on how to spread joy and kindness. I also plan to launch a bimonthly EXTRA! edition for paid subscribers. The first issue goes out next week.
If you have any suggestions or requests, feel free to drop me an email. In the meantime, thank you so much for reading.
THIS WEEK’S POLL
LAST POLL
THIS WEEK IN (POSITIVE) HISTORY
On Jan. 8, 2008, New Jersey apologized for slavery. It was the first northern state to do so.
On Jan. 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, Apple's first mobile telephone.
On Jan. 10, 1967, Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts, the first Black man elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote, took his seat.
On Jan. 11, 1935, Amelia Earhart became the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
On Jan. 12, 1932, Hattie Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate.
On Jan. 13, 1968, singer/songwriter Johnny Cash recorded his album "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison," while performing in front of an audience of about 2,000 inmates at the California penitentiary.
On Jan. 14, 1690, Johann Christoph Denner invented the clarinet in Nürnberg, Germany.
On Jan. 15, 2009, pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger successfully landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a bird strike. All passengers and crew survived the incident, which became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson."
FMI: Click here.
THIS WEEK’S FUN HOLIDAYS
Jan. 8 is National Bubble Bath Day, National English Toffee Day, National Snuggle a Chicken Day, Argyle Day, Earth's Rotation Day, Labrador Retriever Day and Typing Day
Jan. 9 is International Choreographers Day, National Apricot Day, National Cassoulet Day, National Law Enforcement Day, National Word Nerd Day, Australian Shepherd Day and Balloon Ascension Day
Jan. 10 is National Bittersweet Chocolate Day, National Oysters Rockefeller Day, National Save the Eagles Day, Houseplant Appreciation Day and Peculiar People Day
Jan. 11 is International Thank-You Day, World Sketchnote Day, National Hot Toddy Day, National Milk Day, National Vision Board Day, German Apples Day, Heritage Treasures Day and Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day
Jan. 12 is National Curried Chicken Day, National Hot Tea Day, National Marzipan Day, National Pharmacist Day, National Sunday Dinner Day, Kiss a Ginger Day and Work Harder Day
Jan. 13 is National Clean Your Desk Day, National Peach Melba Day, National Rubber Ducky Day, National Sticker Day, French Bulldog Day, Make Your Dream Come True Day, Poetry Break Day and Public Radio Broadcasting Day
Jan. 14 is International Kite Day, World Logic Day, National Dress Up Your Pet Day, National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, National Shop for Travel Day, Lychee Tree Day, Organize Your Home Day, Poetry at Work Day and Printing Ink Day
Jan. 15 is National Bagel Day, National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day, National Hat Day, National Strawberry Ice Cream Day, American Eskimo Dog Day and Wikipedia Day
HOW TO SPREAD JOY/KINDNESS
* Deliver soup to a sick friend
* Contact your oldest pal and catch up
* Volunteer to become a Girl Scout leader or Boy Scout den leader
RECOMMENDED SUBSTACK
MY LITTLE ONES - PAST & PRESENT
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Why can't people just sit and read books and be nice to each other?" --David Baldacci
MOMENT OF GRATITUDE
Thanks to Benjamin Lehman, Unsplash, NPR, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, ABC News, YouTube, AARP, CBS Boston, PressThink, Ted Lasso Reacts, Letters From an American, My Recipe Newsletter, Great Bakes by Martin Sorge, Very Good Gardening, Steady, Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance, The Written Word, Johnny Cash, Instagram, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, MorseCode.World, History.com, This Day in History, Britannica, Time and Date, On This Day, the Library of Congress, This Day in Music, National Today, National Day Calendar, Holidays Calendar, The End Files, The Daily Respite, Canva and Deposit Photos for art and story suggestions.
SUPPORT A BIT OF GOOD NEWS
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Speaking of which…. Congratulations to Christopher C.! His name was randomly selected in our monthly giveaway for paid subscribers. The January prize: A copy of the book "Upworthy Good People: Stories From the Best of Humanity" by Gabriel Reilich and Lucia Knell
KEEP IN TOUCH
Read a positive/uplifting news story lately? Have an inspiring quote you want to share? Or do you just want to let me know about some of your favorite simple pleasures?
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