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ARCHIVES
James SooHoo |
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| Category: Home | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
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DR JOY BROWNE RADIO SHOW
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Nov 25, 2005 10:53am (EST)
Hi everyone!
I hope you all had HAPPY THANKSGIVINGS!!!!!
If you are in the New York metro area, we would like to invite you to the Dr. Joy Browne radio show on Tuesday, November 29. Dr. Joy is an important volunteer partner of ours. She hosted and interviewed a number of SHARE moms two weeks ago for Prematurity Awareness Day. They were heard by over 9 million listeners!
On the 29th, Dr Joy will be doing a special show to benefit the March of Dimes and you can come on down to WOR’s new home at 111 Broadway in New York City to watch. Lunch is included. Dr. Joy will have a couple of surprise celebrity guests as well as interviews of two of our SHARE moms.
Tickets are $29.95 each and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the March of Dimes Hurricane Relief Fund. Call 800-568-3789 to reserve a spot. Admission is limited to the first 100 people to buy a ticket.
- James
ps. I'm attaching a listing of her 165 affiliate radio stations and airtimes.
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (2) | Permalink
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A YEAR AGO....
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Nov 18, 2005 12:08pm (EST)
One year ago, I was sitting in this same chair, in this same office behind this same computer. I had never heard of Donna, Darcy, Brenda, Karri, Sharlene, Melissa, Page, Melody, Christa, Lori, Amy, Denise, Mary Jo, etc. I didn’t even know they existed. You were just numbers in a growing statistic.
I knew of Michele because she was our current national ambassador mom and because she was providing guidance on the development of the site. But I didn’t know her personally.
11 months ago…
I reluctantly posted my first blog. I was, admittedly, a little timid. I had begun to talk with Michele but didn’t know anyone else on the site. And no one knew me. I was actually surprised when people started posting replies to me. I think Darcy was the first one to write something to me.
9 months ago…
I started talking a little with Karri and Darcy. I had also been blogging about WalkAmerica and posting replies about the event. I was travelling a lot going from Walksite to Walksite and getting to meet some of our SHARE participants in person.
6 months ago…
As most of you know I work in the revenue development department at the national office of the March of Dimes and WalkAmerica season was about to end. I started to wonder if I was ever going to have anything to blog about. I was already attached to the site. What could I talk about???? Voila! Michele, Karri, Darcy, Donna, Brenda and others started chatting about the first ever SHARE Union.
4 months ago…
I started talking with Melissa, Donna and Brenda. I would soon get to meet some of our SHARE moms in San Diego. The SHARE Union committee started meeting regularly.
2 months ago…
Michele and I started piecing together all of the logistics for the SHARE Union. I would be talking with Michele every day. Looking back this would be one of the great highlights of my time here at the March of Dimes. I said that one day, I would blog about how much Michele means to the organization, but especially to me personally. I love Michele. She is one of those rare people, I’ve met in my life who isn’t just a volunteer, isn’t just a friend. She’s those things plus a big sister, an inspiration, a person to confide in and feel safe. You all know what I’m talking about. She’s been those things too for so many of you. She’s also tough! I can see where Amanda got her strength from so many years ago. The first SHARE Union doesn’t happen without her hounding on me (and the committee) to get things done. It doesn’t happen without her working even harder than everyone else.
1 week ago….
Michele and I were talking about how we were both up all night worrying that things weren’t going to go as smooth as we planned. We didn’t want to disappoint.
5 days ago….
The SHARE Union was beginning. I finally got to meet Sharlene, Mary Jo and Christa in person.
One year ago….
One year ago, I was sitting in this same chair, in this same office behind this same computer. I had never heard of Donna, Darcy, Brenda, Karri, Sharlene, Melissa, Page, Melody, Christa, Lori, Amy, Denise, Mary Jo, etc. I didn’t even know you existed. At the time, I thought my life was complete.
Today….
I can’t believe how much you all have provided for and supported each other. I can’t believe there was ever a time when you weren’t part of my life. I have special and separate places in my heart for all of you. You are all individually very important to me. And, yet, it’s still nice to know that there is one place I can go to find all of you….here, on SHARE.
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (9) | Permalink
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SHARE UNION/PAD
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Nov 16, 2005 01:23pm (EST)
Whew! I’m so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open. We had a whirlwind two days…but I’m pleased to report that the SHARE Union/PAD was a success. From the moment, our SHARE moms, three dads and two high school students walked through the door, the whole office was abuzz. The day of seminars were a lot of fun. We loved welcoming everyone!
I’m not going to write about the first ever SHARE remembrance ceremony. I’ll leave that to our attendees, because I wouldn’t do it justice. I will say that the staff is still talking about how beautiful it was.
Yesterday, we were at the office at 5:30 am to board the busses and go to New York City. If you haven’t seen it, we were on the CBS morning show. Everyone showed up in their pink and blue and signs and got on television. Our President, Dr. Howse, was interviewed. We also had a surprise interviewee…Michele Reeves who, as always, did a great job. We then went to Brooklyn Borough Hall for a press conference. While that was happening, SHARE participant and Bronx resident Linda Steele was at the Bronx Borough Hall getting interviewed on local television.
From Brooklyn, some of our SHARE participants continued on to St. Mary’s hospital in Queens and North General Hospital in Harlem. Monday Night Football sideline reporter, Sam Ryan, came in (after being up all night to broadcast the Eagles/Cowboy’ game) to participate in the press conference at North General.
Mary Jo and Sharlene can tell you more about the afternoon details, because I went with some of the other moms and dad to the Dr. Joy Browne Show. They all did an amazing job. You would have been so proud! During her interview with Dr. Joy, Donna was also televised live on the Discovery Health Channel.
While I still haven’t recovered from it all…I think it was a rich, meaningful experience for everyone. I know it was for me. It was two days that I will remember forever. For that I want to thank all of our participants and especially our planning committee of Michele, Brenda, Karri, Donna, Melissa and Darcy. Also, Sharlene for putting together the ceremony.
Very best,
- James
ps. Over the next couple of days, I’ll do some entries on our seminar topics.
Share participants outside the CBS Early Morning Show
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (10) | Permalink
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NATIONAL PREMATURITY AWARENESS DAY EVENTS (NYC ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15).
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Nov 10, 2005 12:49pm (EST)
Hi everyone,
Yesterday, I wrote about all of the great stuff happening around the country during Prematurity Awareness Day (Tuesday, November 15). We also have a national Prematurity Awareness Day event which this year in New York City. As I’ve mentioned, the first SHARE Union is incorporated into the day. Here is what we will be all doing:
Early Tuesday morning, two busses will be picking up our SHARE moms and dads along with a host of other volunteers and staff. I hope this uploading picture thing works for me again….because the busses which will be driving all around New York City are completely decorated for PAD.
We will all be taken to CBS’s early morning show, where our president, Dr. Jennifer Howse will be interviewed. The rest of us, dressed in pink and blue, will be in all of the commercial break and weather cutaways. Tune into see everyone! And pray for nice sunny weather. It’s a beautiful 60 degrees here today.
From there, we will be going to Brooklyn’s Borough Hall to meet up with the borough officials for a press conference. Among the highlights will be the proclamation of Prematurity Awareness Day in Brooklyn and some words by Jamie Anderson (our national ambassador family).
After Brooklyn, some of our SHARE moms and dads will be breaking off to speak on the Dr. Joy Browne show. Dr. Joy’s show on WOR and often simulcast on the Discovery Health Channel has over 9 million listeners a day! Along with our SHARE moms and dads, we’ll also have some celebrity call-ins to the show. Tune in if you can!
The other SHARE moms and dads will be continuing on to St. Mary’s hospital in Queens for another press conference. Dr. Edwin Simpser, Chief Medical Officer will welcome us and talk about the many outcomes of premature birth that they see and treat at St. Mary’s. Dr. Louis Sullivan will talk about the costs and consequences of prematurity.
The busses will then depart for the Women’s Health Center in Harlem. For those that don’t know, African-American women are almost twice as likely to have a preterm delivery as their Caucasian counterparts. Dr. Sam Daniel will talk about the importance of the WHC in meeting health needs of pregnant women in the community. A grant will be given to WHC and a special guest celebrity will be speak and close the day.
Whew! It should be an amazing day full of celebrities, some of the most powerful business leaders in NY and medical practitioners at the tops of their field. And, of course, all of our SHARE moms and dads. Many of whom will be with us in person; the rest of you, I’m sure, in spirit.
PADBus1Side
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (8) | Permalink
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PREMATURITY AWARENESS DAY ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE NATION...
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Nov 09, 2005 01:01pm (EST)
Hi everyone,
I know I was supposed to do write about what is going on at the national Prematurity Awareness Day (PAD) event here in New York City. I will. We just finalized all of the details...
but before I do that...I just want to say that this is by far and away already the biggest, most exciting PAD in March of Dimes history.
To date we know of about 120 lightings, THREE TIMES as many as 2004, involving hundreds of communities in 26 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. From beyond coast-to-coast--Honolulu to San Juan, Seattle to Miami, Boston to Portland, OR. . . .banks, bridges, boats. . . .malls, hospitals, sports arenas and halls of fame. . .new skyscrapers and historic county courthouses are joining two Governor's mansions--in Texas and Maryland and SIX State Capitol Domes--in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Nevada, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the pink & blue tribute. In addition, the entire skyline profiles of Philadelphia and Chicago as well as the always- spectacular Niagara Falls are glowing pink & blue. And in 2005, for the first time, messages of hope for premature babies are sky-rocketing as the Saturn V at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL is transformed in Prematurity Awareness Day, November 15th.
There will be MORE THAN a dozen gatherings such as youth rallies, NICU reunions and candlelight vigils, including roll call in several cities in Indiana, Seattle' s 9-block presence symbolizing the goal of giving every baby 9 months, and expectant moms gathered around the rocket in Huntsville. The First Ladies of Maine and West Virginia are active participants in activities in their respective states as well.
In more than two dozen states, Summits will put March of Dimes leadership on the issue of prematurity at the forefront. Governors of 10 states have proclaimed Prematurity Awareness Day (GA, HI, IL, IN, OR, NE, WA, WY, VA, WI) as well as dozens of municipal and county officials.
In MORE THAN three dozen states there are displays in hospitals, libraries, and schools plus arenas in Cleveland and Denver and multiple sites in Rhode Island, Delaware, Indiana and Hawaii.
And in Ft. Myers, FL, at the Health Park Atrium, you can guess how many pink & blue jelly beans are in the jar--it's the number of premature babies born in FL every year.
Fun and games are devoted to the March of Dimes at--
Disney Live with Winnie the Pooh in Minneapolis
Buffalo Sabres
Oklahoma Blazers
Colorado Avalanche
Cleveland Cavaliers
Seattle Seahawks
and both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, TN and the Men's Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA are being lit pink & blue.
You can even EAT in pink & blue--donuts and cookies in Indiana and Pennsylvania plus support from Outback and Wendy's and in Winooski, VT, the NICU Family Reunion is being treated to special pink & blue Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
In addition there are numerous businesses and schools "making the fashion statement that saves babies" by wearing Pink & Blue Jeans.
There will be news conferences, interviews and feature stories on dozens of media outlets across the country, and in Virginia Beach, Minneapolis, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and Indiana, on-air personalities will be sporting pink & blue as they report the news on Prematurity Awareness Day, Nov. 15th.
And, of course, the first ever SHARE Union and coinciding NYC PAD activities.
It's amazing how much is all going on right now. I'm very excited about next week, as I hope you are all too. If you're not going to be with us in NY....look for what's going on around you.
- James
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (5) | Permalink
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FINDING YOUR NICHE (NOVEMBER 14, 2005)
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Nov 03, 2005 02:18pm (EST)
Hey everyone!
Everything is now set for the first annual SHARE Union/Prematurity Awareness Day (November 14 and 15). As excited as you are to meet each other, we (March of Dimes staff) are just as excited to get to know you too!
Here are the details for Monday, November 14. It was designed by Michele Reeves and the rest of the committee and reflects what either they wanted to know more about or what they learned in San Diego and wanted to share with all of you. Monday is called “Finding Your NICHE” and is an all day seminar on what the March of Dimes is, where we are going and how you can get involved.
The day starts at 9:00 am here at the national office of the March of Dimes. We’ll register, share some coffee and then Frank Lynch our Vice President of National and Field Operations will take you on a tour of the national office. It’s a great overview of how all of the pieces fit together from our communications to our global programs departments.
After the tour, we’ll start the “Finding Your NICHE” program…
“N” – “navigating nationally”
David Rose our national archivist and historian will do an hour long presentation on the history of the March of Dimes from polio to prematurity. He will walk you through our founding by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Jonas Salk and the polio vaccine to surfactant to our current prematurity campaign. The March of Dimes history is rich and you all (everyone here on this site) are now a vital part of this tradition.
“I” – “inspiring intelligently”
We will have two speakers for this presentation both of whom you have probably seen around the site: Patty Goldman (Director of E-Business) and Judi Gooding (Director of NICU Inititatives and Chapter Program Strategies). This is all about SHARE. Patty will talk about the history of the site, how to navigate around and the future enhancements including a possible spanish language site. Judi will talk about supporting others in the community as well as address challenges you may have encountered.
We’ll then break for lunch and time for a group photograph. We have a special guest host for the lunch. All of the behind the scenes team will also be there with you (including me). And it will, of course, be a relaxed time that everyone can chat and finally put faces to names.
“C” – “caring collectively”
After lunch, Judi will be coming back along with Liza Cooper (Director of NICU Family Support). They will talk about the NICU Family Support project as well as how you can get involved in your local NICU and support other families.
“H” – “helping heroically”
I’m very excited that Dr. Marina Weiss (our Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs) will be coming up from Washington, DC to do this presentation. She’ll talk about advocacy on the local, state and national level. How you can find out issues that relate to prematurity and NICUs. How to write effective letters, speaking points when meeting legislators and then how to make the most out of your 2 minute interview.
“E” – “executing effectively”
This will be led by me! Mission families, like yours, have completely re-energized every aspect of the organization. It started with the Family Teams who came out in the thousands for WalkAmerica this year. We’ll talk about what mission families have been doing across the country since then. We’ll also summarize the day, take that knowledge and then discuss how we can execute it effectively (whether in our local communities or simply on shareyourstory.)
Each of the sessions are designed to be interactive with plenty of time for questions and answers. We want to share all of the great initiatives happening at the March of Dimes. We also want to hear from you, how we can make them better. Your voices are powerful!
At the end of the day, a bus will take everyone over to one of our local hotels for a reception (which includes food and drinks) and the first ever SHARE Remembrance Ceremony.
The ceremony is being put together by our wonderful community member Sharlene and it will be a time to honor our children. There will be music and songs performed by two of our SHARE moms that will be backdropped with a presentation of survivors and then of those who have passed. If you want to have your child added to the presentation, please see the folder under Prematurity Awareness Day, first ever share remembrance ceremony.
As you can see the day is full of interesting, fun and meaningful activities. We are again all really excited to have you with us. This is turning out to be the biggest, most successful Prematurity Awareness Day in our history. And you are all a major part of that!
Best,
- James
ps . tomorrow, I’ll blog about what is happening on day two (November 15)
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (7) | Permalink
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INTRODUCING JULIEN WALTER SOOHOO
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Oct 25, 2005 09:36am (EST)
First, we would love to have you come to the first annual SHARE Union next month. Space is filling fast so please let us know ASAP if you are interested in joining us.
Second, our Office of Governmental Affairs has asked for our help with the Preemie Act. I’ll talk more about this later but they everyone to contact their senators and representatives and urge them to cosponsor the PREEMIE Act. Look for Emil’s posting today (under Advocacy)
Third, I talked to my mother last night. She, of course, knows that I work at the March of Dimes, but doesn’t really know what I do here. I sent her to this site yesterday and she’s supposed to check back today to see pictures of her first grandchild. That said….HI MOM!
That said….I want to introduce you all to Julien Walter SooHoo. I hope his pictures come out. I’m not really computer literate. If they do, you are looking at pictures of little Julien at 21 weeks. One of them is a typical sonogram photo. It’s a profile of him laying on his back. The other is a 3D photo.
Right before we left to do this sonogram, we were sitting in bed. I was watching SportsCenter. Kristen was sitting next to me counting the weeks she was pregnant with her fingers. An hour later, we were watching 3D images of little Julien. He rubbed his head, then rubbed his belly. And then, just like his mother, he started counting with his fingers. I hope his calculations are correct, because he isn’t due until February 16,
I have been driving my wife crazy ever since. I worry all of the time that she’s okay, that she’s not working too hard and overdoing it (she’s an emergency medicine physician). I worry about baby. I ask Kristen a gazillion times a day if he’s moved. Yikes, if I’m this nutty about their safety now and he’s not even born…I’m scared to think of the anxiety of the next 25 years or so.
Which, then, brings me back to my own mother. Hey mom, if you’re reading this, thanks so much for a lifetime of watching out for me. I know there have been times when I’ve put you through more stress and anxiety than most mother’s should have to go through. I hope you know how much I love and appreciate you.
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (14) | Permalink
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JOIN US FOR THE FIRST EVER, ANNUAL SHARE UNION!
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Oct 20, 2005 02:49pm (EST)
Speaking of Prematurity Awareness Day (see my last blog), I also want to talk about the first ever annual SHARE Union in New York on November 14 and 15.
Our committee of shareyourstory moms have been working really hard to put together a beautiful program that coincides with national Prematurity Awareness Day activities. The first day will be a day of learning all about the March of Dimes, what we’re doing and how you can get involved. There are interesting speakers lined up who will talk about history of the March of Dimes and projects we’re currently working on. Speakers include some of the behind the scenes shareyourstory staff like Judi, Liza, Pam and Patty. We’ll also take you on a tour of the national office. Yes, one of the stops includes my office. I’ll make sure I clean it up and decorate it for the occasion. Okay maybe my office isn’t a highlight but I’m personally really excited about the whole day and what they have planned for the evening (which includes a reception just for you). It should all prove to be worth the trip.
Day two, will be spent participating in the national Prematurity Awareness Day activities in New York City. The agenda for this day has been planned by the national office of the March of Dimes. I don’t want to tell you too much, but the day will include media events on national television and radio. Essentially, it will be a full day of getting the word out about the crisis of prematurity! We’re still fine tuning the details but I’m also really excited about the agenda.
There is no cost to participate in any of these events or the reception. Transportation, however, to and from New York and hotel costs will be up to you. The March of Dimes has negotiated a discount price for Share Your Story members at a hotel here in White Plains and we will cover transportation to and from New York City for Prematurity Awareness Day activities as well as providing you with meals.
I really hope you can join us! What makes all of this particularly special for me would be finally getting to meet all of the people whose posts I’ve read whether you’ve been on the site for the last year or are brand new to the site. Or, even if you never post but just read and have been touched with what others are writing. As I’ve said many times before, this is the most special, warm, inspiring group of people that I’ve ever been associated with.
If you are interested in joining us, please fill out the form on the homepage. We would love to have you for the whole program or just a part of it . if you schedule doesn’t permit you joining us for everything
Very best,
- James
ps. See Michele, I’m still in the office typing away!
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Posted by James SooHoo | Comments: (5) | Permalink
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