A modern miracle for all to see...great news...work of President Carter

[Stuart G]

"Cases of Guinea worm disease — a horrifying infection that culminates in worms coming out of a victim's skin — have reached an all-time low worldwide, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced Friday.

Only 4,410 cases were reported worldwide during the first ten months of this year, all in six African countries. Nearly 80 percent were in Sudan, according to The Carter Center, the disease-fighting nonprofit founded by Carter and his wife.

That total is a dramatic drop from the 3.5 million cases in 20 nations that were reported when The Carter Center's eradication campaign began in 1986. It's also less than half the 9,585 cases reported by individual nations in 2007.

"Our record on Guinea worm for the last few years has been steadily and rapidly downward," Carter said.

Health experts hope that next year may see the last reported cases of the parasitic illness, which would make it the second infection — after smallpox — to be eliminated from the world."

Read more:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28068825/

[rosesaylavee]

1. Good work, President and Mrs. Carter.

What a horrible disease.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. President Carter. Now HIS legacy will be one of honor and accomplishment.

If he had not been sabotaged by Raygun and Co, it probably would have been even better..

[DemoTex]

3. Jimmy Carter was sabotaged by Poppy Bu$h (the "& Co.") ..

Ronny Raygun was just along for the ride.

[Laelth]

10. As fond as I am of the Senior Senator from Massachusetts ...

... in 1980 he sabotaged Carter as well, much to our collective disadvantage.



The United States is a LIBERAL Country.



-Laelth

[malaise]

5. Will be?

Already is - HABITAT for humanity.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. I stand corrected.

[Hekate]

4. KnR. Jimmy and Roslyn Carter are incredible people. Bless them.

The contrast with * is beyond belief -- especially if you saw his reply to Charlie Gibson's question about what he's going to do after he leaves the White House.

When that Judgment Day that Bush claims to believe in comes -- God will know the difference.

In the meantime, the world is so fortunate to have the Carters in it.

Hekate

[Stuart G]

6. I read about this two or three years ago, that Jimmy Carter's foundation

is totally responsible for eradicating this disease.
So in the late 80s, the Carter Center set out to stop the life cycle of these worms, and therefore eliminate the worms which enter through water. Poverty is the major cause, and Carter set out to try to help...What a contrast between him and ?

[FloridaJudy]

8. Now *that's* a Legacy

To be proud of. Funny how the people who don't publicly whine about their "legacies" and just quietly work to help others leave the best ones, eh' Georgie? And I'll bet that you aren't likely to call a call from Stockholm soon. The Hague is more like it.

You done good, Jimmah.

[Laelth]

9. Once again, proud of a fellow, liberal Georgian.

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.



-Laelth

[rvablue]

11. Thanks President Carter! You are a wonderful man! n/t

[Patiod]

12. But aren't all Red-Staters and Christians evil right-wing losers?

this sarcasm brought to you by Yankees Against Broad Brush Statements.

[Lochloosa]

13. It amazes me how few people know about the Carter Center

and the great work they do. It will be Jimmy's legacy long after he is gone.

http://www.cartercenter.org/homepage.html

Our Mission
The Carter Center, in partnership with Emory University, is guided by a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering; it seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health. While the program agenda may change, The Carter Center is guided by five principles:

The Center emphasizes action and results. Based on careful research and analysis, it is prepared to take timely action on important and pressing issues.

The Center does not duplicate the effective efforts of others.

The Center addresses difficult problems and recognizes the possibility of failure as an acceptable risk.

The Center is nonpartisan and acts as a neutral in dispute resolution activities.

The Center believes that people can improve their lives when provided with the necessary skills, knowledge, and access to resources.

The Carter Center collaborates with other organizations, public or private, in carrying out its mission.

[Stuart G]

15. The center is currently working on another illness caused by dirty water..

I think it is called "river blindness" This will be gradually beaten too. What a wonderful organization.

[Stuart G]

16. Here is a link for the Carter Center health program...

http://www.cartercenter.org/health/index.html


They are working on a number of totally preventable illness.

[kath]

18. Yes - the word should get out, here and elswhere. The Carter Center is a GREAT organization.

We've been donating to them for the past 5-10 years.

Nearly a 99.9% reduction in guinea worm disease - a truly horrifying infection. Imagine how disgusting it is to be infested with worms that start crawling out of your skin - GEE-ROSS!! and it's very painful, too.

"Where there are guinea worms, there is Guinea Worm Disease - and that’s usually in Africa. When a human consumes water contaminated with guinea worms, the little buggers infiltrate their host’s intestinal walls and commence mating. After conception, the males die off, and the females hang around for about a year, growing and eating. Eventually, these slender ladies get bored and decide they need to lay some eggs. To do so, they make their way down the body to the lower extremities, where they bore a small hole through the skin. The resulting lesion begins to fester and burn, which usually leads the host to plunge his or her foot into a soothing bucket of water (Of course, in areas where an entire village shares a single water source, this helps spread the infection.) Unfortunately for the sufferer, the water doesn’t solve the problem of having a three-foot female worm dangling its genitalia out of your foot. And to complicate matters, if you yank on that sucker, it’ll break apart and could cause a fatal infection. So how do you rid yourself of the not-so-little hitchhiker? You go see a doctor, who - over the course of three or four weeks - will kindly wind the worm around a stick, inch by agonizing inch. Not the most pleasant method, but certainly a proven one. This cure for a guinea worm infection has been around so long, so believe it’s where we get the snakes-around-a-staff symbol for medicine." http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://neatorama.ca...



more pics here: http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/23897.html

And an article from the Seattle P-I, discusses Carter Center's work: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/africa/worm23.shtml


The Carter Center always works to help in the conductance of free and fair elections around the globe (something we DON'T have here in the US, sadly)

[tblue37]

14. He is the finest ex-president ever! I so admire him and Rosalyn. nt

[ContinentalOp]

17. I'm sure that whatever this is, it's great...

but I couldn't get past the first sentence.

[Stuart G]

19. Yes..this is great news. made possible by Democrats who care.

I hope everyone realizes that these people did not have to take their time and energy to try to solve this problem. Doing this is as unselfish as Bush is selfish. We as a group should be very proud of the Carters.