The Best News of Last Week — October 24, 2022
🔬 — Looks like we’re 8 years away from developing a cancer vaccine!
1. Vaccines to treat cancer possible by 2030, say BioNTech founders
Vaccines that target cancer could be available before the end of the decade, according to the husband and wife team behind one of the most successful Covid vaccines of the pandemic.
Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci, who co-founded BioNTech, the German firm that partnered with Pfizer to manufacture a revolutionary mRNA Covid vaccine, said they had made breakthroughs that fuelled their optimism for cancer vaccines in the coming years.
2. U.S. military suicides drop as leaders push mental health programs
Suicides across the active duty U.S. military decreased over the past 18 months, driven by sharp drops in the Air Force and Marine Corps last year and a similar decline among Army soldiers during the first six months of this year, according to a new Pentagon report and preliminary data for 2022.
The numbers show a dramatic reversal
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $84.5 million to Girl Scouts of the USA and 29 of its local branches, the 110-year-old organization said Tuesday, calling it a vote of confidence.
It’s the largest donation the Girl Scouts have received from an individual since their founding in 1912. The funds will help the organization recover from the impact of the pandemic, which drove down membership.
A ‘game-changer’ for millions of Americans.
In July, President Joe Biden signed an executive order meant to promote competition; it encouraged the US Food and Drug Administration allow over-the-counter, prescription-free hearing aids, and the FDA announced the long-awaited rule change in August. The move ushers in options that should be cheaper and possibly even better.
Now, instead of getting a prescription and having a custom fitting with a hearing health professional, adults can buy hearing aids directly from a store or online. Some doctors estimate that 90% of the population with hearing loss could benefit from these over-the-counter devices.
5. Haben Girma is the first Deafblind Woman to become a Harvard Grad
The disability rights attorney, who became the first deafblind woman to graduate from Harvard Law School in 2013, has made it her mission to advocate for equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
In her new book, “Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law,” Girma details growing up as a child of Eritrean refugees who had to learn how to navigate in a world designed for people who see and hear. Later in life, she began traveling the world to teach the benefits of an inclusive society; President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change, and she also received the Helen Keller achievement award.
6. Badass person of the week: Pregnant firefighter rescues woman trapped in car — then gives birth
7. This elderly African Penguin got a pair of custom shoes at the New England Aquarium
Meet “Beach Donkey,” a 24-year-old African penguin living at the New England Aquarium with places to be. Despite her advanced age and a potentially debilitating foot condition, she is not slowing down.
Staff at the aquarium developed a specialized treatment plan, which included medications, surgical procedures, hands-on foot care, and custom footwear.
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Have a great week ahead.
