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A grieving Phoenix mom received the tribute of a lifetime from Taylor Swift.

In 2010, Maya Thompson received devastating news that would change her life forever.

Her 3-year-old son, Ronan, was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer. After months of chemo and radiation, Ronan passed away in May 2011, just days shy of his fourth birthday.


But Ronan's story doesn't end there.

Since her son's diagnosis, Thompson has documented her family's story on her blog, "Rockstar Ronan."

Her passionate, honest writing caught the attention of faithful readers around the globe, including singer Taylor Swift.

Yes, this Taylor Swift, doer of good deeds. Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images.

Taylor Swift was so moved by Thompson's story that she wrote the song "Ronan."

The song is deeply personal, incorporating some of the intimate moments Thompson shared about her son. As such, Swift gave Thompson a co-writing credit on the heart-wrenching ballad. Proceeds from the song go directly to the Ronan Thompson Foundation and other organizations in the fight against childhood cancer.

Given the sentimental nature of the song, Swift has only performed it live one time — that is, until last week.

Swift had only performed "Ronan" once, for the 2012 Stand Up to Cancer television event.

But on a recent tour stop in Glendale, Arizona, Taylor Swift performed "Ronan" live and dedicated it to Ronan's mother, Maya, who was in the audience.

I love you. @taylorswift You have my heart for the rest of my life and beyond. #ronan #fucancer #swiftieforlife #allhailqueentaylor #1989 #rockstarronan #youaremyqueen @ronanfoundation #beboldgogold
A photo posted by Maya Thompson (@mamamaya) on

Though the entire Thompson family met Swift backstage before the concert, they were shocked when Swift's tour manager asked them mid-show if it was OK for Swift to perform "Ronan" that night.

For both women, the performance was an emotional, powerful experience.

Before playing the song to the sold-out crowd, Swift applauded Thompson for her bravery, strength, and tireless support of childhood cancer research.

Swift fought back tears during the short lead-in, as her own mother is currently undergoing treatment for cancer.

"I've had cancer hit really close to me in my family, so because Maya's right there, I would like you to give her a round of applause, please."

Thompson described the unforgettable evening on her blog, which takes the form of letters to Ronan.

"My eyes welled up with tears, but I didn't cry. Instead, I sang right along with Taylor the entire time. You would think in the most emotional situation, I would have completely lost it, but I didn't. I think the reason why is because I could literally feel your little arms wrapped around me. I have not felt your presence so close to me since you were physically still here on this earth. It was absolutely one of the purest, most magical moments of my life."


Swift performs "Ronan" for the sold-out crowd in Glendale. Image by KnowledgewithFun2.

Childhood cancers often strike without warning, consuming the lives of kids and their families. But there are new victories and breakthroughs every day. Every effort to fund research, support caregivers, or just bring awareness to the fight is an effort worth applauding.

So hats off to you, T-Swift. Thank you.

Grab a tissue and watch Taylor Swift's heartwarming introduction to "Ronan" from her Glendale show.

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BigFuture
BigFuture Scholarships
Education

She fell in love with endangered porpoises at age 7. Now, she's on a mission to save the ocean.

True

When Rachel Heimke was seven, she realized what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Little did she know a $40,000 BigFuture Scholarship would help her pursue her dreams.

Heimke and her parents were living an unconventional lifestyle, to say the least. The summer after she completed first grade, she and her parents boarded a sailboat and sailed from their hometown in Alaska down the Pacific Coast. The family would spend the next two years traveling on the water, passing Mexico and then sailing across the world to Australia before returning home. It was on the sailboat, watching whales and dolphins breach the water under their boat, that Heimke realized her life’s purpose.

“I was really obsessed with these little porpoises called Vaquitta, who only live in one tiny area of water off the coast of Mexico,” she recalled. “When I learned about them as a kid, there were only 22 left in the wild. Now, there are only ten.” Despite her interest, Heimke was never able to actually see any Vaquitta on her trip, both because of their inherent shyness and because they were so critically endangered due to detrimental fishing policies in the area. “That was my wakeup call,” she says. “I’ll probably never be able to see this porpoise, and I don’t want that to be true of other species.”

Now a young woman of 23, Heimke is realizing her childhood dream of ocean conservation by recently graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in ocean sciences and enrolling in a grad program in Canada to study science communication. Heimke is well on her way to achieving her childhood dream—but she acknowledges that none of this would have been possible without her ocean adventures as a child, the support of her parents, and significant financial support.

At 18, when Heimke was deciding where to study ocean sciences, she stumbled upon an opportunity from BigFuture, College Board's free college and career planning site. The opportunity was the BigFuture Scholarship, which provided students the chance to win a $40,000 scholarship by completing six action items on the website. Heimke was intrigued, since she didn’t need to provide an essay, her GPA, or any test scores to enter. Her eligibility was also not tied to citizenship status or family income, so she decided to give it a shot.

“One of the action items was just going on the BigFuture site and creating a list of colleges I was interested in,” said Heimke. Another item required her to apply for financial aid through FAFSA—something Heimke was planning to do anyway. Every completed action item gave students more chances to win the scholarship, so Heimke completed all six action items quickly.

Months later, Heimke’s parents ushered her over to a call over Zoom, where she met a BigFuture representative who had some surprising news: She was one of 25 students who had won the $40,000 BigFuture college scholarship. Each year she would receive $10,000 in scholarship funding, which would cover her entire tuition bill for all four years of schooling.

“That experience taught me that it’s really important to not give up on your goals and just go for opportunities,” said Heimke. “I never thought I would win anything, but I’ve learned it's worth applying anyway. Even a small scholarship of $1,000 can pay your rent for a month,” she said. “And If you write an essay that takes an hour and you win $5,000, that’s probably the most money per hour you’ll ever make in your life.”

The tuition money made it possible for her to attend college, and for her to apply to graduate school immediately afterward without any financial burdens.

“Now that I’m in graduate school and paying for rent and a phone bill and graduate school tuition, it’s truly a blessing to not have student loan debt on top of that,” Heimke said. Because of the BigFuture scholarship, Heimke doesn’t need to pay for her graduate program either—she’s able to fund her education with the money her parents saved by not having to pay for her undergraduate degree.

One of the biggest blessings, Heimke said, was not needing to delay graduate school to work or find extra funds. With climate change worsening, entering the workforce becomes increasingly important over time.

“I’m not sure exactly what I’ll do with my degrees, but I hope to have a lot of different jobs that ultimately will work toward saving our ocean,” she said.

As a child, witnessing marine life up close and personal was life-changing. Heimke’s goal is for future generations to have that experience, as she did.

To learn more and get started, visit bigfuture.org/scholarships.

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Science

MIT’s trillion-frames-per-second camera can capture light as it travels

"There's nothing in the universe that looks fast to this camera."

photo from YouTube|Nova50

Photographing the path of light.

A new camera developed at MIT can photograph a trillion frames per second (fps).

Compare that with a traditional movie camera which takes a mere 24fps. This new advancement in photographic technology has given scientists the ability to photograph the movement of the fastest thing in the Universe: light.

The actual event occurred in a nano second—that is one billionth of a second—but the camera has the ability to slow it down to twenty seconds.

time, science, frames per second, bounced light

The amazing camera.

Photo from YouTube|Nova50

For some perspective, according to New York Times writer John Markoff, "If a bullet were tracked in the same fashion moving through the same fluid, the resulting movie would last three years."


In the video below, you'll see experimental footage of light photons traveling 600-million-miles-per-hour through water.

It's impossible to directly record light, so the camera takes millions of scans to recreate each image. The process has been called "femto-photography" and according to Andreas Velten, a researcher involved with the project, "There's nothing in the universe that looks fast to this camera."


This article originally appeared seven years ago.

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Health

Woman with 'ideal body type' reveals she has health condition often associated with obesity

Being thin doesn't mean you're fit or healthy.

Photo credit: Canva

Woman with 'ideal body type' says she's obese on the inside.

There's often this idea that permeates American culture that people who are visibly overweight by societal standards are unhealthy. This places a lot of emphasis on strangers' body shapes and types without any additional medical knowledge on the person being placed into the category of "unhealthy." The same sort of categorization happens with thin people but in the opposite direction.

Thin people are often placed in the "healthy" category by strangers they may encounter based solely on their physical appearance. Since there's less stigma around being thin, many naturally thin people may be unaware of the health risks they're silently facing. But in reality, no one can tell anyone's health or fitness status by looking at them. People who appear overweight may be very physically fit and in excellent health, while someone who is thin may be struggling with health issues designated to be an "overweight" person's problem.

Stef, a meditation teacher, recently revealed to her audience that she learned she is pre-diabetic at the age of 37. What people may be surprised to know is, Stef is pretty thin. Looking at the mom you would assume given her profession and appearance she would be a fairly healthy person, but it turns out she doesn't do any physical exercise to maintain her health.

dieting saturday night live GIF by HULUGiphy

In a video shared to Stef's social media account, she says, "This is not a flex. I am pretty thin, see this," as she turns in the camera to show her petite frame. "I'm pre-diabetic."

The mom goes on to share that if you're over the age of 30 it doesn't matter what your body looks like, you'll have a hard time processing sugar if you lack muscle mass. But it's not just sugar that can be an issue for thin people who don't work out, it's also an increased risk of heart disease, and an overabundance of fat around your organs, known as "visceral fat" that can wreak havoc on your health.

@get_wavy 📣 Dont assume you’re healthy just because your “thin” 📣especially over 30+. Im 37 and my body needs the extra muscle mass. Take care of your body, weight training is known to: Help with the aging process Support organ function Bone density Circulation etc #wellnessjourney #healthyliving #healthy #guthealth #bodypositivity #diabetesawareness #healthandwellnesstips #over30club ♬ original sound - Stef | Mindfulness & Wellness

Several doctors spoke with NBC News about the phenomenon of "skinny fat," saying that without the excess fat visible beneath the skin, thin people may be lulled into a false sense of health. Dr. Louis Teichholz, chief of cardiology at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, tells NBC, “Just because someone is lean doesn’t make them immune to diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease."

Dr. Jimmy Bell, a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College, London explains to NBC that people who are storing excess fat on the inside are basically on the threshold of being obese, you just can't see it with the naked eye. The phenomenon has been coined TOFI: thin on the outside, fat on the inside.

Shocked Bridget Jones GIFGiphy

“Visceral fat is metabolic, which means it produces chemicals and hormones that the body has to deal with, and is associated with hormone-driven cancers," registered dietitian Alison Clark explains to Good Food.

Dr. Joe, an emergency department doctor, created a response video to Stef further explaining why muscle mass is more important than what your body looks like on the outside. "Muscle tissue is a powerhouse for managing blood sugar. The more muscle you have, the better your body is at managing glucose because muscle cells love to soak it up. This keeps your blood sugar level stable without overworking your pancreas," Dr. Joe explains.


@drjoe_md Maintaining and building muscle mass as we age is one of the best ways to protect ourselves from diabetes. Muscle tissue is a powerhouse for managing blood sugar, and the more muscle we have, the better our bodies are at managing glucose. Muscle also burns calories at rest and releases hormones that decrease inflammation and keep our cells sensitive to insulin. As we get older, it’s easy to lose muscle and gain fat, especially around the belly, which is closely linked to diabetes. So each workout rep is building an ‘anti-diabetes shield’ around our bodies. #diabetes #musclemass #bloodsugar #insulinsensitivity #antiinflammation #ageingwell #prediabetes #healthylife ♬ original sound - Dr. Joe, M.D. 🩺

While aesthetically, thin may be ideal for quite a few Americans, it doesn't equate to healthy or fit. The most important factors to consider are how healthy someone eats and how active they are, which are both things that can't be discovered by looking at someone. So no matter if you're thin, average, overweight or obese, exercise and healthy food are the best way to maintain your health.

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Fatherhood

Dad and daughter relationships, as explained by 10 paintings.

The amazing bond between dads and daughters.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

I have plenty of space.


It's hard to truly describe the amazing bond between dads and their daughters.

Being a dad is an amazing job no matter the gender of the tiny humans we're raising. But there's something unique about the bond between fathers and daughters. Most dads know what it's like to struggle with braiding hair, but we also know that bonding time provides immense value to our daughters. In fact, studies have shown that women with actively involved fathers are more confident and more successful in school and business.

You know how a picture is worth a thousand words? I'll just let these images sum up the daddy-daughter bond.

A 37-year-old Ukrainian artist affectionately known as Soosh, recently created some ridiculously heartwarming illustrations of the bond between a dad and his daughter, and put them on her Instagram feed. Sadly, her father wasn't involved in her life when she was a kid. But she wants to be sure her 9-year-old son doesn't follow in those footsteps.

"Part of the education for my kiddo who I want to grow up to be a good man is to understand what it's like to be one," Soosh told Upworthy.

There are so many different ways that fathers demonstrate their love for their little girls, and Soosh pretty much nails all of them.

Get ready to run the full gamut of the feels.

1. Dads can do it all. Including hair.

relationships, fathers, dads

I’ve got this.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

2. They also make pretty great game opponents.

daughters, daughter, father

Sharing life strategy.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

3. And the Hula-Hoop skills? Legendary.

bonding, dad, child

Tight fitting hula-hoop.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

4. Dads know there's always time for a tea party regardless of the mountain of work in front of them.

family bond, parent, child-bond

Dad makes time.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

5. And their puppeteer skills totally belong on Broadway.

love, guidance, play

Let’s play.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

6. Dads help us see the world from different views.

sociology, psychology, world views

Good shoulders.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

7. So much so that we never want them to leave.

travel, inspiration, guidance

More dad time please.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

8. They can make us feel protected, valued, and loved.

protectors, responsibilities, home

Always the protector.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

9. Especially when there are monsters hiding in places they shouldn't.

superhero, monsters, sleeping

Dad is superman.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

daddy-daughter bond, leadership, kids

Never a big enough bed.

All illustrations are provided by Soosh and used with permission.

Seeing the daddy-daughter bond as art perfectly shows how beautiful fatherhood can be.

This article originally appeared eight years ago.

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Pop Culture

The Monkees' acapella Christmas song shows they weren't just funny, they could sing, too

They performed "Riu Chiu," a Spanish carol, on their 1967 Christmas special.

via The Monkees/YouTube

The Monkees singing "Riu Chiu."

The Monkees have a complicated place in the history of rock music. On the one hand, they scored some of the biggest hits of the ‘60s with “I’m a Believer,” “Last Train to Clarksville,” and “Daydream Believer.” On the other, they were a band manufactured in 1967 for a TV show that did little more than sing on their earlier records.

All that changed in 1967 when they wrestled control over their musical careers from the executives who kept them out of the studio and began recording their music with the “Headquarters” album. But even though they proved to be talented musicians, The Monkees were still branded as a prefabricated band whose success was owed more to session musicians and top-tier songwriters.

Anyone who doubts the talent of Mickey Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Davy Jones and Peter Tork, look no further than a performance on The Monkees’ 1967 “Christmas Show” episode. Like every episode of The Monkees' TV show, this one featured a musical number. But this time, instead of a rock tune with a pre-MTV video of the band monkeying around, this featured the band singing an acapella version of “Riu Chiu,” a Spanish villancico that has attained some contemporary fame as a Christmas carol. The song is attributed to Mateo Flecha the Elder, who died in 1553.

The performance highlights the band’s unique vocal abilities that stem from different musical traditions. Before The Monkees, Dolenz was a rock singer, Nesmith was a country singer-songwriter from Texas, Tork was a folk musician and Jones was an English theatrical performer best known for his performance as the Artful Dodger in “Oliver!” But in this performance, their vocals blend perfectly.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The “Christmas Show” episode was memorable for the band’s outstanding vocal performance but also stands as one of the more memorable Christmas specials in TV history. Coming on the heels of the “Summer of Love,” the story is about The Monkees babysitting Melvin Vandersnoot, the hard-hearted child of an affluent family. After numerous attempts to get him into the Christmas spirit, the Monkees warm up his icy heart after showing him love, something all the money in the world can’t buy.

Vandersnoot, was played with incredible maturity by Butch Patrick, best known as Eddie on “The Munsters.”

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The Monkees' television show would be canceled in 1968 and the band’s original run wouldn’t last much longer. But all four band members would remain in the music business. The Monkees would reunite in the late ‘80s after the show became popular in reruns and would continue to tour over the next four decades, although most of the time, it was without Nesmith. Nesmith would pursue a country career in the ‘70s, and even though his work received a lukewarm reception at the time, his innovative mixture of country music, humor and psychedelia has made him a pioneer in the alt-country genre. Nesmith died in 2021, shortly after touring with Dolenz.

Outside his work as the mainstay in Monkee reunions, Dolenz has starred in numerous theatrical productions and recently released an EP of R.E.M covers. He still tours as a solo act.

Davy Jones went on to perform in Monkee reunions and guest star on several TV shows, most notably on an episode of “The Brady Bunch,” where he was the target of Marcia Brady’s affection. He passed away in 2012.

Peter Tork was a mainstay of The Monkees’ live performances through numerous reunions and played in a band called Shoe Suede Blues. Tork died in 2019 after a long battle with cancer.

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Health

Here’s a military trick that can help you fall asleep in 2 minutes

It was created to help fighter pilots.

via DVIDShub / Flickr

No better time to grab a little shut eye.

For those in the military, sleep can mean the difference between life and death. But shut-eye can be very hard to come by, especially during active conflict.

The military method regained public attention thanks to a post by writer Sharon Ackman on Medium.com. The U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School developed a scientific method to help its pilots fall asleep. Through this technique, 96% of the pilots were able to fall asleep in two minutes or less.

If pilots can fall asleep surrounded by war, you should be able to use it to knock out in the comfort of your bedroom.

Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Relax in your seat

military men in sleeping bags on a mountain

Sleeping in difficult environments.

via DVIDShub / Flickr

Given the space restraints of a typical plane, the pilots were taught to sleep in a seated position. They put their feet flat on the ground, while relaxing their hands in their laps.

Breathe slow, deep breaths while relaxing every muscle in your face and letting your forehead, cheeks, mouth, tongue, and jaw go limp.


Step 2: Relax your upper body

Let your shoulders drop as low as you can. Allow the muscles in your neck go lifeless.

Starting with your dominant side, let your bicep feel like it's falling off your body. Then move to your forearm, hand, and fingers. If a muscle isn't relaxing, tense it first, then let it go loose.

Slowly exhale to release tension.


Step 3: Relax your lower body

Tell your right thigh muscle to sink, then move down your leg, saying the same thing to your calf, ankle, and foot. Your leg should feel like it has sunk into the ground. Then move on to your left leg.

The final step is to clear your mind for ten seconds. You can do this by paying attention to your breath as it moves through your nostrils or holding a static image in your mind.

Once your body is relaxed and your mind quiet, you should slip away into darkness.

It may sound too good to be true, but this technique is real and effective. Try it out and get ready for refreshing sleep no matter what's happening in your life.


This article originally appeared five years ago.

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