I am a big fan of One
Direction, and recently, they’ve been all about Comic Relief. They’ve recorded
a cover of Blondie’s ‘One Way or Another’ as a charity single; the proceeds go
towards Comic Relief and its help in third world countries.
The boys have been
out to Ghana recently, to experience what the people on the receiving end of
these charities are going through first hand. I watched a video of them all in
one of the hospitals, where they were visiting the infants in a hospital, ill
because they missed out on a lifesaving vaccine because of their disadvantages.
One member, Zayn, was really affected by
what he had seen out in Ghana, and ended up in tears as he tried to tell the
camera how much the £5 vaccine could do. He’s since donated £500,000, which is
enough for 100,000 vaccines. 100,000 lives.
I’ve never really
donated before, but I did today. I paid £5 for one vaccine via text, because
someone else needs that £5 more than me. A lot more.
I know it may seem
that I’m only donating because my favourite boy band is donating too, and I
suppose that’s part of it; he gave money because he was effected, and I gave
money because I was too. Seeing how hard the illness in Ghana struck the boys,
and how devastated and frustrated they were, combined with of course, the tiny
children, sick and dying, left me unable to not contribute to this cause.
Those children could
easily have been running around, playing football, or toddling about all over
the place, had they not missed out on that vaccination. And knowing that I, sat
at my laptop, could help a child to do that was compelling me to donate. So I
did. And I feel really good about it.
I’ve always been
aware of Children in Need and Sport Relief and Comic Relief, but I’ve never
been as affected by these charities as I have today. I don’t know whether it
was because people who I care about were upset, or whether it’s because I’ve
matured since last year’s Comic Relief. Or both. But it really hit home how
lucky I am to have these vaccinations, along with so much more advanced medical
care, should I need it, and how those month old babies have none of that.
I may seem naïve and
obnoxious for donating because a band told me to, but it’s more than that. They
were a spring board, I suppose, but I didn’t donate to please them or because
they’ve told all their fans to.
I donated my £5 because I saw, through that
video, how much it can help, and how much it can mean to a little child, who’s
really no different to me.
We just have
different backgrounds, and that shouldn’t be a barrier to keep them from the
healthcare everyone deserves.
(I wrote this quite late Sunday night so it probably doesn't make much sense)
