CHARITY HOPPING AROUND THE WORLD Giveaway Hop

I love this hop because it provides an opportunity to share a personal glimpse, make people aware of a few important things, and hopefully help a needful charity. Thanks so much to Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer; to the Reading Away the Day's Blog; and to the Reading A Little Bit Of Everything Blog for hosting this hop.

My charity is the American Kidney Fund, and here's why. My daughter, Amanda, is about to give birth to her third baby, and what makes that pretty miraculous is the fact that Amanda is a kidney transplant recipient.

Here is a photo of Amanda, her husband Nick, and their eighteen-month-old son Brady, on the fifth anniversary of her transplant. And that darling little baby girl in the photo is Avery, born on that very tender day. We thought it was a tender mercy that the fifth anniversary of this life-saving surgery brought us another miracle--little Avery. In a few weeks, Amanda will deliver her third and last child, a son they'll name Wesley.

Amanda and Nick have been asked to be spokespersons for the Kidney Foundation, to give hope to patients struggling with the fear and shock of this diagnosis. Each spring they pack up their family and join the walk for the National Kidney Foundation to show people what miracles can happen with good medical diagnosis and treatment. I'll join them this year. I was blessed to be Amanda's kidney donor.

Amanda didn't even know she was in renal failure when she was diagnosed. The symptoms came on so gradually that she unwittingly adjusted to the fatigue and other issues the disease presented. Her kidney disease was the result of a genetic perfect storm. My husband and I each carried markers for a weakness that manifested in Amanda. But some kidney loss can occur because of overuse of Motrin or other OTC drugs, and other health issues can also lead to kidney disease.

Amanda was blessed with great insurance that covered this essential and expensive transplant, but she has made friends with other transplant recipients who have not been so fortunate, and for them, the Kidney Fund is a critical source of aid.

So be aware and prudent in your use of OTC drugs, and get a good annual physical that includes a renal panel. And when an opportunity comes to donate to the National Kidney Fund, remember Amanda, and please donate so others can also enjoy this miracle. Thank you!

Now, for reading all of this you deserve the giveaway info. My prize is two books--one new one the winner can select from the books I've written. (I'll personalize it for the person of your choice if you'd like to give it as a gift), and one gently-read book from my personal reading shelf. You can even name your favorite genre and I'll choose the second book for you. How does that sound?

You may enter multiple times, but each entry must be posted separately or the stubborn program that selects my winner will ignore your entry.

1. First, you must be or become a follower of this blog.

2. Friend me on Facebook.

3. Follow me on Twitter.

4. Stop by my web site, click the "CONTACT ME" link and send me a "hi" by email.

5. Be my friend on Goodreads.

Thanks! Now go enjoy these other blogs. The winner will be drawn at midnight on April 4th.