1. Blood is always in high demand

   According to the Red Cross, every two seconds someone needs blood in the U.S. So since you started reading this article, anywhere from 8 to 12 or more people experienced a need for blood.

2. For a yearly total of…

   So doing the math, that factors out to 4.5 million Americans who need a blood transfusion every year.

3. And a daily blood need of…

   Hospitals and emergency rooms need about 44,000 donations-worth of blood every day.

4. A little goes a long way

   Just one pint of blood can save up to three lives by separating out red blood cells, plasma, and platelets and giving one to each of three different patients.

5. Only 38% of the population is eligible to donate

   In 2007, it was discovered that only 111 million Americans can donate blood, as opposed to the previously-believed 177 million, because of increased safety measures.

6. Are you eligible?

   If you’re over 16, healthy, and weigh at least 110 pounds, you can give blood. (And let’s face it: if you’re American, you’re over 110 pounds.)

7. AB donors wanted

   The AB blood types are the rarest in the world. AB-positive blood is especially crucial for donations because its plasma can be universally transfused and is often administered to emergency patients.

8. You have blood to spare

   An average adult has up to 12 pints of blood in his or her body. The average donation size is about 1 pint.

9. Loyal donors are not frequent donors

   Although donors are allowed to donate every two months, the average repeat donor only gives blood 1.7 times per year.

10. Buddy, can you spare a platelet?

    Through a process called apheresis, donors can donate specific parts of the blood like plasma or platelets. The advantages are that donors can donate this way every month and give more platelets per donation than they could otherwise.

11. Donated blood doesn’t last long

    Blood’s shelf life is believed to be up to six weeks, but recent research indicates patients who receive blood older than three weeks could suffer harmful side effects. This would basically mean twice as much blood would now be needed from donations.

12. …And neither do donated platelets

    Platelets have a shelf life of just five days. And with cancer rates ever increasing, the demand for platelets has grown dramatically.

13. Cancer patients need a lot of blood

    While many operations require high amounts of blood for transfusions, these are one-time events. Cancer patients, on the other hand, can require up to eight platelet transfusions each week.

14. You won’t catch something

    When you donate blood, there is no danger of catching AIDS or any other infectious disease. All equipment is used once and then thrown away.

15. Excuses, excuses

    People often cite a fear of being weak the rest of the day after giving blood. However, a healthy adult should not have an affected daily routine.

16. Piecemealing plasma

    About 1 in 500 people is born with a malfunctioning immune system. To keep these people healthy for one year, it takes 130 separate plasma donations.

17. Accept no substitutes

    Trials are ongoing to discover a safe substitute for blood to give to soldiers or car crash victims, but so far the tests have been disastrous. There is still no replacement for good old human blood.

18. An added bonus

    If the knowledge that you’ve saved three lives isn’t enough, when you donate blood you are treated to a free mini-physical.

19. You can donate plasma often

    Thanks to apheresis, plasma alone can be donated twice every seven days. Plasma replenishes after 48 hours in a healthy body.

20. United, we donated

    After the events of 9/11 in New York, half a million Americans gave blood to be sent to victims.

21. Selling your body

    As broke college kids are already aware, some donation centers will pay donors for blood or plasma. Usually your reward will be about $25, which isn’t bad for an hour of work.

22. Donate to yourself

    One way to introduce people to giving blood is to have them give it to their future self. Donating blood for your own use later is called autologous blood donation and you don’t have to worry about the blood being a match.

23. Worried about that ink?

    If you’re worried that a recent tattooing or piercing disqualifies you from giving blood, never fear; you are still eligible as long as the work was done with single-use equipment.

24. Be like Dean

    Dean Willis of Jacksonville, Florida has donated 100 gallons of blood since 1975 and saved over 2,000 lives.

25. This is their chance to think about it

    Nearly one in five people say their main reason for not giving blood is they "never thought about it."

1. France

   Mothers in France enjoy a multitude of maternity benefits, ranging from generous paid time off to extended time in the hospital. One mom, Bindi Dupouy, enjoyed five full days of resting at her local hospital after a normal vaginal delivery, and enjoyed the entire experience. Dupouy shared, "They treat expecting mums like treasures here. They take really good care of you. The health care system is just amazing." After leaving the hospital, Dupouy was able to take five months paid maternity leave from her job as a lawyer, and on top of that, can opt to take an additional seven months unpaid without any job disruption. With a full year available after birth, Dupouy and other French mothers certainly have the opportunity to bond and enjoy their children while they’re still small. The benefits for families continue well after infanthood, as well. France offers subsidized daycare before age three, childcare allowances, and stipends for in-home nannies, as well as universal full time preschool beginning at the age of three. Statistically, France does well for moms, with 99% of women receiving at least one pre-natal visit and delivery care coverage from a skilled attendant. The risk of maternal death is low, at 1 in 6,600, as well as an under-5 mortality rate of four. These facts are not lost on French families, who are propelling France’s "robust reproduction rate" past other European countries that are suffering from a decline in births.

2. Sweden

   Sweden is easily one of the best places in the world to have a baby, and it shows: the country has one of the highest birth rates in Europe, just edging out France’s rate of 1.8 with 1.9 children per mom. That’s largely thanks to generous parental leave laws, which allow Swedish women to easily juggle work and family. Together, Swedish couples enjoy 13 months paid leave, plus another three months at a fixed rate. Most of that time is available to be split between the two parents, so families can decide which parent would be better at home. Swedish mom Anna Eriksson enjoys this system, pointing out that it "means there’s no financial hardship, and your job is still waiting for you afterward," thanks to a law that requires employers to hold a mother’s job during her maternity leave. Eriksson spent seven months at home with her son before her partner, Henrik Eriksson took over to become a stay at home dad. The situation works so well for the Erikssons, that they decided to have another baby shortly after their son’s birth. Perhaps even more impressive, the Erikssons are able to enjoy these benefits even though they are an unmarried couple. Health-wise, Swedish families do very well, with a maternal mortality ratio of 1 in 11,400 and a very low under-5 mortality rate.

3. Norway

   Norway is another top contender for a great place to have a baby, with excellent medical care, generous maternity leave, and low mortality rates for both mother and child. Norwegian women enjoy medical professionals present at almost all of their births, and there is only a 1 in 175 chance of losing a child before the age of five. Norway’s c-section rate is low, with just 16% of births from 2005 to 2009 delivered via c-section. Norway also enjoys a maternal mortality ratio that’s on par with other developed countries at a rate of 1 in 7,600, as well as an under-5 mortality rate of three. But perhaps the most impressive part of giving birth in Norway is that it’s 100% free, from the first check up to the delivery, due to universal health care in the country. The international organization Save the Children praised Norway for these marks, as well as "one of the most generous maternity leave policies in the developed world," a full year of paid leave for parents to spend with their infant. Norway’s clear advantage in these departments earned them number 1 in their 2011 Top Ten Places to Be a Mother report.

4. Australia

   Australian moms don’t do too shabby either, with Australia coming in at number two according to Save the Children. The rankings were a result of figures including maternal death, access to medical resources, and the economic and political status of women. For most women, maternity care through Medicare is nearly free, with some only responsible for small co-pay amounts for doctor visits and no charge at all for hospital care. It’s not at all surprising to find out that Australian women take full advantage of this care, with statistics reporting that 100% of Australian moms have at least one pre-natal visit, and 100% have a skilled attendant at birth. C-section rates are fairly high at 30%, but that is still lower than the United States’ 31%, and the maternal mortality ratio is a reasonably low 1 in 7,400. Women, and mothers in particular, are well supported in Australia, with up to a year of shared maternity and paternity leave for parents. Previously, this was on an unpaid basis, but now, both mother and father receive 18 weeks of paid leave at federal minimum wage. For families who opt not to take part in parental leave pay, a baby bonus is available, with monthly installments paid out over the first year of the baby’s life to offset the additional costs of having a new child. The cost of having a child is further discounted through Australia’s child care benefit, which offers assistance with high day care costs.

5. Iceland

   Iceland is another country that takes good care of its moms, with extensive pre-natal care offered for free to legal residents of more than six months. Icelandic moms enjoy about ten visits before the birth of their first child, including care from both midwives and doctors, ultrasounds, and general medical examinations. The hospital birth experience is also free, with a "lying-in" period that varies from one day to several days, depending on the circumstances of the birth. Icelandic births are very safe, with just a 17% c-section rate and a 1 in 9,400 maternal mortality ratio. Iceland also provides for a midwife home birth option for mothers with favorable conditions. After delivery, nurses will actually do a home visit for the the new mother and child, helping them to get settled into their new lives together, eliminating the stress and risk of infection associated with newborn doctor office visits. Working moms and dads in Iceland are cared for financially, with 90 days at 80% of their salary for both parents, plus 90 days to be shared between the parents. This time can be taken at any point during the first 18 months of their baby’s life. Iceland also provides for quarterly child benefits, paid at a fixed amount for each child under seven years of age, and disbursed based on family size and income through 18 years of age. There is one strange drawback to having a baby in Iceland, however: you must pick your baby’s name from the National Register of Persons, otherwise, you have to appeal for a new name to be added to the list, which must not be embarrassing, and conform to the Icelandic language and customs.

6. Germany

   German moms are well cared for, with plenty of maternity benefits, and even special benefits for nursing mothers. After delivery, families are welcome to stay for what seems like a luxurious visit: 7 days for a vaginal delivery, and 7 to 14 days for a cesarean section. During this stay, moms can benefit from exercise classes to get back into shape, as well as therapeutic measures like sitting baths and sunlamps. Both pregnant and nursing mothers have extensive protection in the German workplace, and can not be scheduled to work on Sundays, or holidays, take on overtime or be required to more than 8 1/2 hours of work each day. Pregnant mothers are not expected to work during the last six weeks of their pregnancy in Germany, and new mothers are not allowed to return to work until their child is eight weeks old. Germany has strict rules about the hazardous exposures that pregnant and nursing mothers are open to, providing for adequate breaks and a ban on heavy, physical labor, as well as a ban on any conditions that might be hazardous to their health. German moms benefit from four months maternity leave, and employers are required to provide for at least three months of pay. Statistics back up Germany’s excellent policies, with an outstanding 1 in 11,100 maternal mortality ratio, and under-5 mortality rate of four.

7. Switzerland

   Women in Switzerland enjoy a wealth of choices in childbirth. Births may take place in a hospital, after which moms and babies return home in the care of a midwife if they are both well. Mothers also have the choice to have a home birth, or go to a birth house where the environment is more home-like with little to no medical interventions, attended by midwives. Maternity benefits are great, with basic birth costs covered for Swiss women. Working Swiss mothers are eligible for 14 weeks paid maternity leave, and are forbidden from working for the first eight weeks following birth. Weeks nine through 16 are optional. Maternal mortality in Switzerland is low at 1 in 7,600, and the under-5 mortality rate is 4, both of which are on par with other industrialized countries.

8. Japan

   Japanese families benefit from a similar situation to the Swiss. Moms in Japan can choose from hospitals, the most popular choice, midwife clinics with a home-like atmosphere, or a home birth. Two prenatal checkups are provided free of charge, and there are free childbirth classes available. Drawbacks do exist, however. Some women feel it is a bit over-medicalized, with too many tests, but most doctors are happy to scale it back on request. There are also some unusual restrictions for pregnancy that women in other parts of the world might not understand, like keeping your feet warm, wrapping your belly to keep it warm, and not driving after the eighth month of pregnancy. But for most women, these quirks are worth enduring for the world class medical care available. Japan’s maternal mortality ratio is among the best in the world at 1 in 12,200, and 100% of births have a skilled attendant of some kind present. Japan’s postnatal care is excellent, and most hospitals expect new families to stay about a week, however, families can leave earlier if they feel they are up to it. Families are expected to pay for their own medical costs, but after the birth will receive a standard payout, presumably to apply to medical bills. Financial support after the birth is reasonable, with moms receiving 60% of their usual pay for 14 weeks. Moms and dads can both take up to a year off for parental leave, offering Japanese families plenty of time to bond and adjust to their new lives together.

9. Italy

   If you’re strictly concerned with maternal health, Italy is the place to be. In 2010, the country was rated the safest place to have a baby, with just 4 maternal deaths per 100,000 births. Amazingly, this incredibly safe maternity environment is completely free, in a system where families do not have to pay for prenatal visits or the hospital birth. Moms also benefit from 22 weeks of leave paid at 80% of their salary, and 2 weeks to relax and prepare for birth. And to encourage more children in the country, Italy has begun to offer a 1,000 Euro baby bonus to families with newborns. However, despite Italy’s benefits and safe delivery environment, it does have a high rate of c-sections: 40%. This may not necessarily be a reflection of poor care however, as many Italian women wait until they are older to have children, and advanced maternal age can come with higher risks for birth that may lead to c-section. The high rate of c-sections may also be tied to the excellent safety rating of the maternal health system, in which doctors do not hesitate to take drastic measures (as in a necessary c-section) to protect the lives of Italian mothers.

10. The Netherlands

    Women who are interested in natural childbirth just might want to head to the Netherlands. The Dutch believe in keeping it natural, avoiding treating pregnant women as patients with a medical condition. That is not to say that they aren’t taken care of, though. Moms in the Netherlands do have excellent support, with 100% of births taking place with a skilled attendant present, which can mean either an OB-GYN or midwife. Home births are common, with 30% of births in the Netherlands taking place at home, the highest rate of home births in the world. Women are safe giving birth in the Netherlands with a low maternal mortality ratio (1 in 7,100). Just 10% of women in the Netherlands use pain relief, and no traditional pain relief is available at Dutch home births. Instead, moms are taught natural methods of pain management in prenatal classes, including yoga techniques. Moms who deliver in hospitals are typically home within hours, sent with a maternity care assistant to stay for at least a week to help out and support the family. This assistant is known as a kraamzorg, and offers an amazing amount of help to new moms with guidance on breastfeeding, baby care, as well as duties including light cleaning and babysitting older children. The help continues, as Dutch moms get 16 weeks maternity leave paid at 100% of their salary. Fathers only get two days leave paid at 100%, but both parents have up to 26 weeks available to take unpaid from employers, and through tax breaks, receive 50% of the national minimum wage.

We’re sure you’re wondering why the US is not a part of this list. In a recent ranking by Save the Children, the US came in at #31 on the Mothers’ Index, and it’s not difficult to see why. Safety for infants is an issue, with an under-5 mortality rate of 8, compared with the 4 or fewer seen in most other industrialized countries. The maternal mortality rate is similarly disturbing, with a ratio of 1 in 2,100 versus a typical 1 in about 7,500 often found in other industrialized countries. The US has a high c-section rate of 31%, double the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 15%. But beyond medical care, American moms still get the short end of the stick, with no paid maternity leave, a benefit that even moms in Afghanistan enjoy (90 days at 100%), the country rated the absolute worst for mothers at #164. In fact, the US is the only country in the developed world without a mandatory paid maternity leave. While it isn’t the worst place in the world to give birth, the US is a long way from making our top 10 list.

1. Mayo Clinic

   

   The Mayo Clinic has long been an online resource for medical information, with a website that offers advice and expertise from more than 3,300 medical professionals for free, so it’s not at all surprising that the medical group has been successful in social media. In an interview with Med City News, the Mayo Clinic was named the "poster child for healthcare social media" with social media chief Lee Aase at the helm. The Mayo Clinic has its own social media network where patients can connect, several health promotion campaigns, including "Know Your Numbers," which promotes heart health, and a healthy presence on just about every social media outlet available, including YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Even Mayo Clinic doctors are encouraged to take part in social media. The clinic has been so successful in social media, in fact, that they are the hosts of the Health Care Social Media Summit, most recently held in October 2011 with 375 attendees and a buzz reaching about 100 tweets per hour.

2. Rush University Medical Center

   At Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center, things get personal through blogging. Doctors were able to share and connect with readers and patients through a first-hand account of relief efforts performed after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Sent through a text message, Dr. John Fernandez shared his experience with Doctors Jeff Mjaanes and Geoffrey Van Thiel, who all traveled together to the Dominican Republic. Their first-hand story shared messages of sacrifice and compassion, including a hungry four-year-old who saved a breakfast bar for his brother at home, insisting that he himself did not need it, and a mother treated for a horrible wound that she got by going back into her home to save one of her children. Through social media and the ease of communication in texting, Dr. Fernandez’s message was able to be delivered first-hand, and within 48 hours of when it all actually happened. This one message is not the only one, however, with Dr. Fernandez and his fellow doctors sharing several updates from the trip, offering a story that blog readers were able to follow as it happened.

3. Massachusetts General Hospital

   Social media is all about sharing, especially when it comes to sharing resources. Massachusetts General Hospital recognizes this, and did something amazing when researchers from the Emergency Department worked together to create an iPhone app designed to help users find the closest emergency room to their area anywhere in the U.S. The app was promoted using hospital social media outlets, creating a YouTube video that bloggers could embed in their stories, also providing for opportunities to tweet the video and share it on Facebook. With the help of social media, the hospital’s app was able to stand out in the sea of apps available for the iPhone.

4. Scott & White Health Care

   During the Ft. Hood shooting crisis, one of the hospitals treating victims, Scott & White, took it upon themselves to share updates with the community. Employee Steven Widman offered updates on emergency room access, hospital operation status, and more, also updating with Red Cross news and sharing communications with reporters. The crisis pushed Scott & White’s communications to the forefront of social media, increasing their Twitter followers by 78% in only three days, turning Scott & White Healthcare into a Twitter "trending topic," and ranking the hospital’s YouTube channel among the most viewed non-profit channels during the crisis. Both people who were affected and those who were tuned in from afar were able to get real-time updates, thanks to the efforts of Widman and the ability of social media to share information.

5. Nebraska Medical Center

   Nebraska Medical Center has created an incredible YouTube presence, one so successful, that as 360 Digital Influence points out, they’ve had an increase in requests for one surgery in particular. It’s all thanks to a patient who shared her cancer experience on YouTube, which led to so many requests for the surgery she had to treat her rare carcinoid cancer that NMC had to open a monthly clinic for the condition. The medical center encourages patients to share their experience, and even makes use of QR codes to share videos of physicians introducing themselves to potential patients.

6. University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital

   

   Connecting with patients and community members is great, but what if you could use social media to do something really amazing, like raise more than $1 million for a new children’s hospital? UCSF did just that, taking on a social media fundraising contest named Challenge for the Children. About 165,000 people blew past the hospital’s initial $100,000 fundraising goal thanks to social media channels including Facebook and Twitter. Much of the campaign’s success ($805,554 worth) was thanks to the Facebook game FarmVille, which allowed players to purchase virtual candy cane seeds that sent 100% of the profits to the challenge. This amazingly successful challenge paved the way for a new children’s hospital in Mission Bay, set for completion in 2014, and the top two teams will be honored with the naming of a dedicated space in the hospital.

7. WakeMed Health & Hospitals

   It’s so important to be relevant to the topic at hand in social media, and getting off course can turn off would-be fans. But WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina made a smart move in April 2011, sharing a time-lapse video shot from the hospital’s helipad that showed a tornado as it passed through the area. Although the tornado is a non-medical story not directly related to the hospital’s mission, hospitals are a vital part of any community, and in sharing this video, WakeMed further cemented itself as a valuable resource for the Raleigh area. Med City News praised WakeMed for the video, pointing it out as one of the top blog entries for the medical group. As WakeMed spokeswoman Heather Monackey shares, they’ve found success in social media because they "just pay attention to what’s going on."

8. Texas Health Resources

   Hospitals are using social media to connect internally, in addition to community building. At Texas Health Resources, social media tools make it possible for physicians and other health professionals to engage with each other and take advantage of useful tools. Using social media, Texas Health Resources promotes the adoption of electronic health records, and integrates the use of the private microblogging site Yammer to share internal messages, how-to videos, and more. Project managers and physicians use social media tools like Yammer to come together, collaborate, and communicate effectively over a large hospital system.

9. Geisinger Health System

   Health care social media isn’t just about attracting patients and building community, at least not for Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania. The health system typically turned to ads in medical journals and direct mail to recruit gastroenterologists, but when they had trouble getting enough responses, associate vice president of marketing Cathy Connolley turned to social media to recruit their physicians. With the help of a recruitment marketing firm, Geisinger created a social media physician recruitment campaign, creating a convenient and cost-effective way to communicate with physicians, and an easy way to direct gastroenterologists to their Facebook page. As Connolley reports, "that tactic outpaced our direct mail approach and our email blasts."

10. Henry Ford Hospital

    Live-tweeting brain surgery just sounds like crazy talk, but Henry Ford Hospital near Detroit made it work. While performing surgery on a 47-year-old man, doctors discussed the procedure with more than 1,900 people, and even uploaded video of the surgery to YouTube. Things seem to go to the next level when the answer to Twitter’s "What are you doing?" question is brain surgery. The hospital earned praise and attention from ABC News, and showed off just how well they can make use of social media. In addition to Twitter brain surgeries, Henry Ford Hospital makes use of news feeds, Flickr, and blogging to reach patients and the general community.

11. Scripps

    

    Scripps makes it a point to connect with patients and customers through the use of social media. In an interview with Found In Cache, Scripps director of web technology Marc Needham shared that the hospital typically spends its social media time on customer service. In fact, Scripps developed a new position of Electronic Customer Service Representative, specifically created to reach out to patients through social media and respond to online reviews. Needham pointed out that Scripps believes it’s important to have a good handle on their online brand perception, and left unchecked, "unaddressed complaints fester and lead to online reputation rot." Scripps has found success in this pursuit, but Needham says they haven’t quite defined their social media approach just yet, and they’re still experimenting with a variety of different sites, including Wikipedia, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Scripps tends to use different sites for different purposes, like Facebook for recruitment and LinkedIn for employee connections.

12. Children’s Hospital Boston

    Children’s Hospital Boston has a wildly popular Facebook page. A Facebook page alone isn’t quite enough to be truly impressive these days, but Children’s Hospital Boston really stands out, not just for its half a million plus fans, but really for its top-notch content. Their landing page has information people really want to read, and an encouraging atmosphere that gets patients and fans to open up and share their stories. This high level of engagement is truly inspiring, and offers a great lesson for any Facebook Page owner. Through photos of the week, Children’s Hospital Boston highlights families and patients, who in turn spread the word to their friends and family on Facebook, bringing fans and patients to the Facebook Page to interact. But, as Ignite Social Media points out, Children’s Hospital Boston does so much more than Facebook, effectively managing a Twitter feed and YouTube video collection as well.

13. Sarasota Memorial Hospital

    Sarasota Memorial Hospital understands the value to building better relationships through social media. In an interview with The Side Note, the hospital’s market research manager Shawn Halls shared how it came to begin using social media as an important tool. After growth and more than three years of use, Sarasota Memorial now sees Twitter and other sites as an important part of their communications strategy, using social media as a way for the community to directly communicate with the hospital. The hospital encourages patients to direct message their Twitter account, and has even been able to connect patient family members with resources like local florists through the site. Like other hospitals, Sarasota Memorial also has plans to share surgery via Twitter, specifically a brain mapping procedure where the patient is awake.

14. Greater Baltimore Medical Center

    Social media is great for spreading news, but it’s also a useful tool for correcting misinformation as well. The Greater Baltimore Medical Center knows that fact all too well, as in August 2010, a Baltimore TV station incorrectly reported that the hospital had been invaded by an armed robber. GBMC media relations manager Michael Schwartzberg was able to act quickly to correct the mistake, sending out a swift collection of tweets that set the story straight for the public and concerned citizens. With active social media accounts already in place, the foundation for sharing information was set and easy to take advantage of, something that the hospital utilizes frequently. Schwartzberg reports that in addition to media relations and customer service, GBMC uses social media as a valuable way to share crisis communication, much like their fake armed robber, H1N1 updates, and if need be, disaster reporting.

15. Inova Health

    Just like GBMC, Inova Health found value in Twitter’s ability to set incorrect information straight. Inova uses a security system designed to prevent the theft of babies from maternity wards, and as hospital personnel ran a test of the system, a visitor heard it and mistakenly believed that there was a lost baby. That same visitor then Tweeted about the non-incident. Director of digital communications and marketing Chris Boyer had wisely set up social media monitoring services, and quickly spotted the Tweet within just minutes of posting. After calling to confirm that there was not actually a problem, Boyer was able to immediately respond on Twitter and share the hard facts of the story, helping to preserve the hospital’s reputation before things got really crazy. Inova Health’s story shows just how important it is to use tools that can help you monitor and stay on top of your social media presence.

16. Children’s Medical Center Dallas

    

    Living organ donation is an amazing gift and process, and Children’s Medical Center was able to share a special family’s story through Twitter. As a Texas firefighter donated his kidney to his three-year-old son, the Twitterverse was able to follow along with their successful story from start to finish, shared by none other than the mom and wife. With nearly 85,000 people on the waiting list for a kidney, Children’s Medical Center media relations manager Jessica Newell hopes that "twittering from this surgery will help raise awareness for organ donation, as well as living organ donation."

17. University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

    Twitter and social media in general can be a scary thing for hospitals, opening up issues of liability and uncomfortable situations. But at least at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, doctors and professors recognize Twitter as an incredibly valuable tool for learning and training. Dr. Philip L. Glick shares his insight: "[A] lot of the training consists of passing on information, lessons learned, and wisdom to the next generation. Twitter allows us to dramatically scale up our ability to do this. When I post something on Twitter, all the pediatric surgeons, trainees and colleagues in the country and the world can see it instantly." In addition to small updates, University at Buffalo uses social media to share audio and video of procedures, breaking them down into small pieces that offer opportunities for sharing and teaching.

18. St. Luke’s Cedar Rapids

    Anxious groups of families and friends sit in hospital waiting rooms across the country, hoping to hear updates and news that their loved one is doing well. Some will find out about things as they go along, some simply when procedures are over. The level of information shared largely depends on the capacity and availability of the team of medical professionals at work. With Twitter, the time and energy necessary to share updates with loved ones is significantly decreased, and small, frequent updates can be shared in just moments, creating an opportunity for hospitals to better inform worried waiting rooms as things go along. At St. Luke’s Cedar Rapids, one family was able to enjoy this incredible level of customer service, as their 70-year-old mother Monna Cleary underwent a hysterectomy and uterine prolapse surgery. Cleary had given her OK for the hospital to share a play-by-play of her operation, and hospital spokeswoman Sarah Corizzo shared more than 300 tweets, allowing the family to follow along, and informing the general public. Corizzo answered questions, and fascinated nearly 700 people who followed along with the surgery. Hospital spokeswoman Laura Rainey pointed out that live-Tweeting is a "more gentle" way to inform patients and consumers, allowing them to follow what’s going on without shocking visuals. Cleary’s son Joe and his siblings appreciated the opportunity, pointing out that "it made the time go by," and they enjoyed having real-time information and staying informed while in the waiting room.

19. Southcoast Health System

    Sharing information during a crisis is vital, even when you don’t have a lot of time or resources to do it. So when more than 50 people had to go to hospitals for treatment following a chemical fume exposure at a trash disposal station, Southcoast Hospital turned its Twitter account into a "crisis communication portal," sharing status updates for more than a week. Updates included status on admitted, discharged, and treated patients during the spill, and helpful information and links that kept the public and concerned loved ones constantly updated during the situation.

20. Barnes-Jewish Hospital

    Hospitals are full of stories that the community is interested in, with people overcoming great odds and going on to live healthier lives. At Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a 23-year-old heart transplant patient Megan Moss attracted lots of local interest, thanks to updates from the Barnes-Jewish Hospital blog, Touching Base. Additionally, Megan’s dad shared constant updates through his own blog. Moss’s story attracted so much attention, that one weekend, she got 75 emails through the hospital’s website with well wishes from friends, family, and strangers alike. Through numerous updates and even a video interview with the hospital’s director of heart transplant, both Moss and Barnes-Jewish got much deserved attention within the community.

Whether you or someone you care about is a recipient of Medicare, it’s essential to watch out for scammers in order to protect your benefits. Here, we’ve listed some common scams that criminals use to try to get their hands on your Medicare number and the potential goldmine of benefits it can mean for them. Remember, never give out your information to anyone other than your healthcare provider, no one else should ever ask for it!

1. The Poser Scam

   One of the more common ways criminals scam those with Medicare is by posing as Medicare employees, health care practitioners, or insurance representatives, something many may not be expecting. These fraudsters call, email, or send a letter asking for personal information that usually includes bank, Social Security, and Medicare numbers. While the interactions may seem legitimate, it’s important to remember that federal employees, working for Medicare or otherwise, will never phone or email you to get bank or Medicare information. Why would they need to? Neither will your insurance provider or doctor. If you encounter any of these mailings or calls, hang up, ignore, and report them.

2. The Healthcare Reform Scam

   Healthcare reform is on the lips of just about everyone these days, and scammers are using it to cash in. Many adults don’t know what the new healthcare legislation actually entrails, and that’s just the way criminals want it. It makes many Americans easy targets for scams, like those that claim to sell "healthcare reform insurance" that purportedly protects seniors from any losses to their Medicare or any fines they make incur from not meeting guidelines. The thing is, healthcare reform insurance doesn’t exist. Identity thieves and scammers will try to get Medicare numbers, SS numbers, and even bank account info for these policies, but don’t bite. You’ll be throwing money away and getting yourself in a whole heap of trouble with your identity.

3. The Free Lunch Scam

   Everyone loves free stuff, right? Well in this case, there truly is no such thing as a free lunch. Scammers in low income areas are taking advantage of some of the neediest Medicare recipients by drawing them in to fake health care clinics with the promise of free food or gifts. Once they have the victim right where they want them, they try to get Medicare numbers through coercion and then use them to commit Medicare fraud. No legitimate clinic or government program will ever exchange gifts for using their services, so no matter how great it looks on paper, it’s probably bogus.

4. The Kickback Scam

   While you’d think that you’d be able to smell this scam from a mile away, some fraudsters can be pretty darn tricky. They might offer you a cut of the take in exchange for your Medicare number, but they won’t put it like that. Criminals might veil it under a prize, reward, or other guise to mask the fact that they’re doing something that is very clearly illegal. If anyone ever promises you any gift or monetary rewards for your Medicare number, decline their offer immediately. You’ll be drawn into the scam, and could face criminal charges for your role.

5. The Refund Ripoff Scam

   As part of the Affordable Care Act, many senior Medicare recipients may be eligible to receive a refund from the government of $250 to help cover their prescription drug costs. Criminals have pounced on these checks as an opportunity to make some extra cash and scam some Medicare numbers at the same time. Many have called seniors and told them that they need to confirm Medicare numbers in order to send out the checks. The scams are varied and quite nefarious in that they prey on those that need the benefits of Medicare the most. Keep in mind that Medicare numbers are like credit card numbers: they should never be given out to strangers over the phone.

6. The Imposter Employee Scam

   Anyone can claim to work for the government, and many who fall victim to fraudsters may not even have thought to ask for identification (though that could easily be faked as well). The reality is that many criminals looking to scam those on Medicare will call or even come to the home of recipients asking for personal information like Medicare numbers and bank accounts. Medicare will not send people out to collect this information, nor do they cooperate with private insurers to collect this information. Never trust someone who calls or visits you out of the blue looking for information of this kind.

1. The Free Medical Supplies Scam

   Freebies are one way that scammers lure in a lot of victims, and when those freebies are of the medical variety it gives them legitimacy that many other gifts don’t have. Exchanging medical supplies, which are usually of very low value, for Medicare numbers is not a bargain, it’s a scam. Criminals know that many seniors depend on medical supplies to keep them feeling good, and use that desire for backup or extra supplies, free of charge, to get personal and private information out of those who wouldn’t normally be swayed by such scams. If someone tells you that an item is free but they just need your Medicare number for their records, you’re better off buying the items on your own.

2. The Not Usually Covered Scam

   If something isn’t covered by Medicare, it isn’t covered. Period. If your provider or someone you don’t know tells you that an item isn’t covered but they know how to bill it so you won’t have to pay, that might sound great. But it’s also fraud and can get you, and that provider, in a lot of trouble. Additionally, be equally wary of those who charge co-pays for services that should be covered by Medicare — they’re pocketing that cash and billing Medicare to boot. When it comes to Medicare at your clinic, hospital, or doctor’s office, there should be no funny business. If you suspect there is, report the provider and find yourself a new one.

3. The Extra Equipment Scam

   Those with diabetes, arthritis, and sleep problems are frequent victims of this scam. Salespeople will go to homes of those they know suffer from these conditions and try to get them to buy extra equipment, often things that they really don’t need. It sounds great because these extra items can be billed to Medicare and you won’t have to pay a thing. Of course, once you hand over your Medicare numbers, scammers simply use it to rack up loads of bogus charges and if you ever see the equipment they promised it’ll likely end up collecting dust.

4. The New Card Scam

   Another way scammers are taking advantage of new health care regulations is by telling seniors that in order to keep receiving benefits or get their refund checks they’ll need to get a new Medicare card. This simply isn’t true, and if it were, they certainly wouldn’t need your Medicare number to do it — they already have it on file.

5. The Medical Decisions Scam

   Some enterprising and highly unscrupulous insurance agents have been taking advantage of Medicare policy holders in a couple of different ways. Some are sending out release forms that allow agents to make decisions on their behalf. This can cause serious legal and financial issues, so never, ever sign anything without reading through it first and making sure you understand it. If it’s confusing, get a friend, family member, or lawyer to look over it before signing.

6. The Fancy Tests Scam

   Sadly, many doctors and nurses out there are the ones at the center of large Medicare frauds. One of the ways they often make their money from scamming Medicare is by scaring or coercing patients into getting unnecessary and often very expensive tests. Your medical provider should never use pressure or scare tactics to get you to consent to any medical decision, it’s just unethical. If you feel this is going on, get a second opinion.

1. Ikiru (1952) dir. Akira Kurosawa:

   Crippling depression and existential woe as a direct result of terminal illness forms the crux of this hauntingly bittersweet Akira Kurosawa classic. After receiving a stomach cancer diagnosis, bureaucrat protagonist Kanji Watanabe aches to eke out meaning in his last year of life. Inspired by a former coworker’s love for toymaking and children, he decides to convert a stinky, abandoned plot into a playground solidifying his legacy. Not every instance of depression stems from such cruel physical suffering, of course, but Ikiru beautifully, tragically captures the overlap. Even those battling depression outside chronic illness might relate to Watanabe’s struggle to discover a purpose and center to keep him from fully succumbing to the emotional turmoil.

2. Le feu follet (1963) dir. Louis Malle

   Adapted from the novel by Pierre Drieu La Rochelle, Le feu follet tackles depression’s manifestations as alcoholism and suicidal behavior — both sadly common symptoms. Fresh out of substance abuse treatment, a man decides to end his own life and heads to Paris so he can see his loved ones one final time. Part of him hopes that they will offer him up some kernel of encouragement. Things don’t necessarily proceed as planned, however. The results reflect the wrenching isolation of depression without an external support structure, and how important loving family and friends are when overcoming the intense condition.

3. Taste of Cherry (1997) dir. Abbas Kiarostami

   Fans of art house cinema might want to pick up this divisive, quiet Iranian film exploring heavy suicide and depression themes. Director Abbas Kiarostami opted for a more minimalistic approach, relaying the story of a desperate Tehran man seeking someone to bury his body following suicide. After a series of rejections, he happens across a taxidermist willing to fulfill his wishes, provided certain conditions go fulfilled. Having once suffered beneath suicidal thoughts and tendencies, however, he offers up some insight the protagonist wouldn’t have otherwise considered.

4. The Virgin Suicides (1999) dir. Sophia Coppola

   Sometimes, depression starts when external circumstances begin piquing internal thoughts and emotions — it isn’t always the result of brain chemistry. Sofia Coppola’s directorial debut based itself on the deeply emotional Jeffrey Eugenides novel of the same name. In upper-middle-class suburbia, a pair of radical parents keeps their five daughters under nigh-totalitarian subjugation. As neighbor boys watch on, enraptured by their bizarre story, they begin succumbing to the resulting anxiety one by one. Though subtle at first, the sisters eventually react to an almost literal house arrest with increasingly desperate actions until they end up, well, just read the title.

5. Prozac Nation (2001) dir. Erik Skjoldbjaerg

   Some say Prozac Nation fails to properly depict depression, while others think it incredibly relatable. If nothing else, this showcases just how varied the mental health condition can be; even the most "textbook" case will sport its own unique variances, major or minor. Christina Ricci stars in this adaptation of Elizabeth Wurtzel’s memoir chronicling her first experiences with depression. Like many — though by no means all — with such a diagnosis, she self-medicates through substance abuse and unhealthy sex. She eventually attempts suicide while acclimating herself to new medication, though her story ends on a far more hopeful note.

6. American Splendor (2003) dir. Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini

   Heavily influential underground comics writer (Anthony Bourdain, for example, is quite the fanboy) Harvey Pekar’s life unfolds in an incredible panorama here. Part biopic, part documentary — the real writer appears here alongside his actor counterpart and a drawn, animated depiction — it highlights how depression can lead to incredible creative works. Pekar’s misanthropy and rusty Cleveland backdrop inspired him to write about the mundane and personal neuroses in a thoroughly compelling, often relatable manner. Although one shouldn’t mistake American Splendor as a film exclusively about depression, it does sensitively, straightforwardly address the amazing author’s experiences.

7. Does Your Soul Have a Cold? (2007) dir. Mike Mills

   Documentarian Mike Mills followed around five Japanese people to analyze how the nation approaches depression ever since antidepressants found their way into mainstream advertising. A heightened awareness of their availability led to a spike in both diagnoses as well as prescriptions, completely altering the way Japan’s citizenry perceive and approach depression and depression treatments. Unlike the other movies listed here, this one is straight-up nonfiction, showcasing a sliver of reality regarding depression, anxiety, and psychiatry.

8. Synecdoche, New York (2008) dir. Charlie Kaufman

   Prepare to bawl until the eyelids dehydrate and fall off from so much salt exposure. Brilliant screenwriter and then-first-time director Charlie Kaufman bottles up the sharp ache of depression and its myriad interactions with innovation and the search for ultimate meaning. As painful as viewing may ultimately prove, many may find the film wholly relatable — or, for those fortunate enough to avoid depression’s ravages, enlightening. While surreal, it still remains lucid enough to relay the emotional turmoil and often deep anxiety accompanying creative block and personal tragedies.

9. The Wrestler (2008) dir. Darren Aronofsky

   Not every depression patient (or their loved ones) will necessarily relate to washed-up wrestler protagonist Robin Ramzinski’s rise and fall, of course. But his fluctuations and frequently self-imposed isolation will resonate with those for whom such actions have become sadly commonplace. Once again, depression triggering a search for some semblance of stability and inherent life value forms the film’s core themes; Ramzinski’s fumbling attempts to connect with others — particularly a beloved stripper and his estranged daughter — effectively capture common interpersonal struggles many depressed so often experience.

10. Melancholia (2011) dir. Lars von Trier

    It’s the end of the world as we know it, and Kirsten Dunst feels less than fine. Director Lars von Trier conceived of his largely well-received movie during a particular piquant episode, channeling the anxiety and pain into something beautiful and creative. Dunst, who has also publicly grappled against depression, plays a young woman abandoned at the altar. Awash in overwhelming melancholy, she begins fretfully obsessing over earth’s impending collision with a freak rogue planet — named Melancholia. Hardly subtle. But then again, depression isn’t always, either.

1. Blogs at epilepsy therapy project:

   The blogs kept here pull from a wide range of perspectives and experiences to offer love, support, and advice for persons with epilepsy and their loved ones alike.

2. Serene’s Epilepsy Legacy:

   Despite its glacial update schedule, advocate Serene Low still posts some useful information regarding epilepsy awareness.

3. Living Well With Epilepsy:

   Jessica Keenan Smith packs Living Well With Epilepsy with a staggering array of media offering advice, information, resources, news, and updates regarding the search for a cure.

4. My Life as Mandy…with Epilepsy:

   This blog humanizes individuals with epilepsy in a warm, encouraging, and positive tone while simultaneously promoting awareness and advocacy and raising money for medical research.

5. My Epilepsy Story:

   A wife and mother who’s experienced epilepsy for two decades opens up about her life and how fortunate she feels because her body takes to treatment, but the impact on her children continues plaguing her.

6. UK Epilepsy Blog:

   Peoples across the UK diagnosed with epilepsy gather to dish out advice, share their findings and personal stories, comment on news, organize events, promote awareness, raise money for a cure, and numerous other noble strategies showing support and solidarity.

7. Kat’s Cafe:

   Kat’s Cafe actually covers a few different special education topics, as the blog owner mothers three boys with various diagnoses. Epilepsy is among them, and she covers the subject in detail.

8. Blogs at Epilepsy U:

   This website requires registration in order to participate, but offers blogs, communities, and more with the intent of educating the world about epilepsy and providing a forum for the diagnosed and their loved ones.

9. eBlog:

   Epilepsy Foundation hosts a few different blogs covering different subjects related to the condition, including policy, daily life, science, and more.

10. Angels4Epilepsy:

    The sterling nonprofit provides comfort and love for children with epilepsy by visiting them in the hospital, giving them presents, and raising money for a cure.

11. Snowflakes:

    As is the case with some of the other blogs listed here, Snowflakes covers a few different medical conditions, epilepsy among them. Most of the content focuses on offering straight-up information about the latest research and perceptions.

12. Living in a Brainstorm:

    Living in a Brainstorm chronicles life with simple partial epilepsy as both a comfort to other patients and a valuable education for those without such a diagnosis.

13. BC Epilepsy Society Blog:

    Although Canadian, the nice selection of epilepsy resources available through this organization’s official blog can benefit readers the world over.

14. Brett’s Epilepsy:

    Brett Meath has lived with epilepsy since age 8, and he uses his blog, videos, interviews, and notes to offer up some extremely useful first-person insight.

15. Epilepsy Diary:

    Although the blog doesn’t update terribly often, it still does an excellent job of openly discussing the realities behind an epilepsy diagnosis. Head to the forums for more active, personal interaction.

16. Epilepsy Talk:

    Blogger Phylis Feiner Johnson dealt with epilepsy for 20 years and lends her copywriting skills to promoting advocacy, awareness, fundraising, and support.

17. Blogs at Epilepsy Foundation:

    Here, users post experiences and observations about their epilepsy, and others answer their questions and show love and support when problems arise.

18. Patty’s Epilepsy Chronicles:

    This intimate, emotionally evocative resource pulls from 40 years of epilepsy, making it an introduction for both the newly diagnosed and those living with it for decades.

19. Shaken but not beaten:

    Despite being a very new blog, Shaken but not beaten still posts valuable insights about living with, helping out, and understanding epilepsy, especially in school and the work force.

20. Epilepsy South Africa’s Blog:

    If you ignore the sloth-like pace at which Epilepsy South Africa’s Blog updates, it’s a trove of information regarding awareness and advocacy efforts throughout the country.

21. EpilepsyMoms.com:

    As one can probably assume from the title, this read focuses on assisting parents in keeping their kids healthy at home and in school.

22. Epilepsy Action:

    Epilepsy Action, both the blog and the surrounding website, come packed with essential reads for anyone needing (or wanting) to know more about the condition.

23. CALEB’S Mom: Caring And Learning Epilepsy Blog:

    After losing her young son to epilepsy, Beth Baker began advocating for parents and patients alike through her blog and in person as a Parent Advocate at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

24. Beating Epilepsy:

    Learn all about one preschooler’s struggle with epilepsy, which required a special diet and surgery to effectively treat.

25. Recent Blogs at the American Epilepsy Society:

    Read the American Epilepsy Society’s latest blog posts on everything from relevant research and press releases to personal stories and inquiries.

26. Autism, Epilepsy and Self-Injurious Behavior:

    Patient Advocate Kim Oakley mothers a son with all three conditions listed in the title, dedicating her blog space to discussing them separately and as interacting entities.

27. Epilepsy Warriors:

    A family whose son was diagnosed with the rare epilepsy form Dravet Syndrome blogs about the ketogenic diet, daily life, and searching for a cure.

28. Being Bertrand:

    Little Bertrand has received a number of different diagnoses, most of which receive coverage here. Discover how they overlap with epilepsy and what his family and doctors have done to ensure his health and safety.

29. Special Needs Mom:

    Suzanne Perryman’s blog reflects the triumphs and tragedies of life ensuring special needs children receive all the essential care and love, with epilepsy among them.

30. DO IT FOR DEZH:

    The parents of a young girl with Dravet write about their daily lives as well as provide information and raise money for her future service dog.

31. Random Thoughts About Us:

    Much of the content at this general family blog centers around a young son’s seizures and service dog. In addition, the Engstroms also raise money for The Epilepsy Foundation’s Minnesota and North Dakota chapters.

32. living for grace:

    Faith may not prove the best strategy for managing epilepsy and Dravet Syndrome for every child and parent, but some might find it a great comfort. This family certainly does.

33. Marissa’s Bunny: An Infantile Spasms Awareness Blog:

    A family of stuffed rabbits travel the world in order to raise awareness of infantile spasms and epilepsy, with entries about children the toys encounter as well as the eponymous girl’s progress.

34. Aiden’s Journey:

    Aiden’s Journey might be on hiatus at the moment, but it still provides an insightful, necessary look at how Dravet Syndrome affects patients and their loved ones.

35. E. is for Epilepsy by Paula Apodaca:

    Paula Apodaca hasn’t updated since May 2011, but she lived with epilepsy for over five decades – making her an incredible reference when wanting to learn more about the condition.

1. Justin Bieber

   Most of us were surprised to find out that Justin Bieber had fathered a child since we weren’t aware he had gone through puberty yet. Apparently, Bieber was surprised as well when Mariah Yeater claimed he was the father of her 3-month-old son and that she had hooked up with him after a concert in L.A. when he was 16. This saga is ongoing until Bieber gets back from playing shows in Europe and can take a paternity test, but he says there is no chance this child is his. If the test proves he is the father, Yeater could be on trial for statutory rape since she was 19 at the time.

2. Eddie Murphy

   Melanie Brown, better known as Scary Spice, wasn’t anyone’s favorite Spice Girl, but she did win the favor of Eddie Murphy long enough to get pregnant. Brown thought they were in love and was surprised when Murphy broke up with her (especially since a friend had to tell her the news) and said he didn’t think the baby was his. He demanded a paternity test, and found out he is the father, though Brown says she isn’t allowing him to be involved in their daughter’s life.

3. Anna Nicole Smith

   The birth of Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter and Smith’s death right afterward were the source of months of tabloid stories. Several men stepped forward claiming to be the father of the child after the former Playboy Playmate died, since the baby could inherit millions of dollars. Smith’s former boyfriend Larry Birkhead, her live-in boyfriend Howard K. Stern, and Gsa-Gsa Gabor’s husband (where’d he come from?) all claimed they were the baby’s father. In the end, a paternity test showed Birkhead was the baby’s dad, and he got full custody.

4. Neil Bush

   The son of one president and younger brother of another, Neil Bush had a lot to live up to but didn’t quite make it. As Bush and his wife, Sharon, went through a nasty divorce, he had apparently begun dating another woman who was married, Maria Andrews. Sharon claimed that Andrews’ youngest child was actually fathered by Bush, setting off a paternity case that ended with Bush not being the father and Sharon being sued by the real father, Andrews’ now-ex-husband, for defamation. This is probably the least scandalous part of the Bush divorce, since it also came out that Bush had gotten herpes from an escort and that Sharon had ripped hair out of his head to either test for drugs or make a voodoo doll.

5. Prince Albert of Monaco

   Being royal may have its perks, but it doesn’t save you from facing some of the scandals of the real world. In mid-2011, after a fairytale wedding to a former Olympic swimmer, Prince Albert of the tiny, rich nation of Monaco had to take a paternity test to see if he had fathered a third illegitimate child. He already had two from a flight attendant and an estate agent, neither of which can inherit the throne under Monaco law. The latest paternity suit was brought by a topless model, but was dismissed after the test showed the prince was not the father. That fact came too late, though, for the royal couple to have a very romantic honeymoon.

6. Steve Jobs

   Because Steve Jobs was such an innovative genius, we sometimes forget that he had a personal life. He kept it all pretty private, but we do know he had some paternity issues earlier in his life. When Jobs was just 23, his high-school girlfriend gave birth to a daughter, Lisa. For two years, Jobs denied that the girl was his, telling a court that he was sterile so there was no chance for him to have a child. Eventually, he accepted Lisa and met her when she was 8. Their relationship grew over time, with her vacationing and even living with him for a few years when she was a teenager. You can’t really blame her for letting him into her life — it was probably pretty hard to hold a grudge against the guy responsible for giving us the iPod.

7. Steven Tyler

   There wasn’t a dramatic paternity suit brought against Steven Tyler by Liv Tyler’s mother. Bebe Buell had been a bit of a groupie during the ’70s, and had told Liv that her father was another rock star, Todd Rundgren. When Liv was nine years old, though, she met Steven and his daughter, Mia, and couldn’t get over how much she and Mia looked alike. When she confronted her mother about the resemblance, Buell fessed up. Because Steven had been into drugs when Liv was born, Buell hadn’t wanted him to act as her dad. Steven accepted Liv as his daughter, and she changed her last name to Tyler in 1991. The two developed a relationship, and Steven helped Liv jumpstart her career.

8. Charlie Chaplin

   The man who infamously came in third in a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest brought comedy to the big screen during some of the hardest times America has seen. Chaplin’s personal life was also a source of entertainment. He was involved with many women, and married several. One of his affairs was with Joan Barry, an actress, who he decided was a little too crazy for his liking and ended their relationship. Barry had a child and filed a paternity suit against Chaplin. A blood test showed that he was not actually the father of the baby, but Barry’s lawyer somehow convinced the court that the test was inadmissible as evidence. The court ordered Chaplin to pay child support for the kid that wasn’t his until the child’s 18th birthday.

9. Paul McCartney

   As a member of the Beatles, there’s no doubt that Paul McCartney had women swooning over him all the time. One of these ladies says she got lucky and had a three-year affair with the bassist in the ’60s that produced a daughter, Bettina Hubers. It took 17 years for McCartney to finally take a blood test, but when it showed he wasn’t the father, Hubers didn’t believe it. After all, who wouldn’t want a Beatle as a dad? Almost 25 years after that test, Hubers tried to convince a court that McCartney had used a stand-in for the blood work, but the statute of limitations on fraud had run out and her case was thrown out. We’ll never know if McCartney is her father or whether he’s actually dead and using a stand-in for life.

10. Keanu Reeves

    Most women try to win child support when they’re, you know, supporting their child. But Karen Sala decided to do things a little bit differently. She claimed that Keanu Reeves was the father of her four adult children and that she wanted millions of dollars in retroactive child support and spousal support. Reeves says he didn’t even know who this woman was. Even stranger, Sala said that Reeves used hypnosis to change the results of the paternity test (which obviously showed he wasn’t the father) and that he could make himself look like other people, including her ex-husband. The case was thrown out, and hopefully this woman got some psychological help.

1. Prescription drug abuse kills more people than traffic accidents

   A recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association said that people who are prescribed high doses of prescription pills may have a greater risk of death. In fact, drug overdoses and brain damage from long-term drug abuse killed an estimated 37,485 people in 2009, which surpassed the death toll from traffic accidents by 1,201 people. This alarming number of deaths is expected to rise, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

2. Between 1998 and 2008, treatment admissions for prescription painkiller dependence grew 400%

   Drug treatment admission rates have risen dramatically over the last decade, specifically for prescription pain med dependence. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the treatment admission rate for opiates other than heroin grew 400% in 2008, which was up from 2005. This means that for every 100,000 population, 45 people aged 12 and older have sought treatment for their prescription pain med abuse.

3. Sixty percent of teens who abused prescription pain pills tried them before the age of 15

   Teens and young adults abuse prescription drugs more than any other illicit drug, except marijuana. According to the United State Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), one in seven teenagers admits to abusing prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, and 60% of the teens who abused prescription pain pills experimented before the age of 15.

4. Seven in 10 people who abuse prescription pain pills obtained them from a friend or relative

   According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a staggering number of people obtain their prescription pain meds from a friend or relative for free. Seven in 10 people got their prescription painkillers from a friend or relative, whereas nearly 10% bought them from a friend or relative, and five percent took them from these people without asking.

5. About 120,000 Americans are hospitalized each year for overdosing on opioid painkillers

   Prescription pain pill addiction has killed thousands of Americans each year. About 120,000 Americans go to the emergency room each year for overdosing on opioid painkillers. Prescription pain pill abusers can easily overdose if they take higher doses than directed, combine drugs, or use them with alcohol.

6. Prescription painkillers are the leading cause of fatal overdoses

   Prescription painkillers cause more overdose deaths than street drugs like heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the past, most overdoses were caused by illegal narcotics and took place in big U.S. cities. However, the number of deaths from opioid painkiller overdoses has more than tripled from 1999 to 2006, resulting in 13,800 deaths.

7. Opiod painkillers have increased the number of unintentional drug poisoning deaths in the United States

   The rate of unintentional drug overdose deaths in the United States have risen tremendously between 1999 and 2007. During that time, more than 28,000 people died from unintentional drug poisoning. This alarming number has been attributed to the increase in both legal and illicit prescription opioid painkiller usage.

8. Three in 10 teens think prescription pain killers are not addictive

   A large majority of teenagers believe that prescriptions pain relievers are not addictive and "much safer" than illegal drugs. Additionally, 56% of teens think prescription drugs are easier to obtain than street drugs. Teens can easily access prescription pain pills from their family members or friends, and they justify taking the pills because a doctor prescribes them.

9. Prescription pain pills are the second most commonly abused drug among teens

   As stated above, a high percentage of teenagers think that prescription pain pills are not addictive and less harmful than street drugs, which explains why teenagers abuse this drug more than any illicit drug, except marijuana. Prescription pain meds are the second most commonly abused drug by teens, and they are the most widely misused type of prescription drug overall.

10. Prescription pain pill abuse and overdose death rates are highest in rural America

    Although prescription drug abuse is rampant throughout the United States, the highest rate of prescription opioid abuse and fatal poisoning occurs predominantly in rural states within the Appalachian and Southwest region. Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and neighboring states are some of the most troubled areas for prescription pain pill abuse.

1. Clean out the cat litter box

   While many women won’t complain about this recommendation, it’s best for pregnant women to avoid cleaning the litter box. The reason is that cat feces can contain a virus called Toxoplasmosis. This virus can be very harmful to the pregnancy. But pregnant women should recognize that contact with kitty litter is not limited to changing the cat litter box. Since a cat walks on its litter, the virus can be tracked anywhere a cat walks, including its paws. Due to this, all contact with the cat must be limited and the house must be kept extra clean.

2. Eat cold deli meats and soft cheeses

   While pregnant women are known for their wild appetites, two things pregnant women should stay away from are cold deli meats and soft cheeses. The reason is that these foods can be contaminated by a pesky bacteria called Listeria that can cause a condition called Listeriosis. This condition is potentially threatening to the pregnancy. Listeria can be easily killed by cooking or reheating deli meats and cheeses, but unless you’re sure these foods are fresh and uncontaminated, it may not be a good idea to risk the infection, especially when eating out.

3. Jump on a trampoline

   Jumping on a trampoline may be good exercise, but when you’re pregnant, the bouncing has to come to an end. Expectant mothers should avoid jumping on trampolines because bouncing and high-impact movements can cause connective tissues to stretch and lead to painful joint injuries. Pregnant mothers also experience a shift in their center of gravity, so it’s much easier to lose their balance and fall over or off a trampoline. So even though jumping on a trampoline seems like a lot of fun, it’s best to wait until after the child is born and can participate!

4. Use electric blankets

   Pregnant women should avoid using electric blankets because of the potentially harmful effects the electricity can have on the developing baby. Electric blankets give off low-level electromagnetic fields that may be harmful to a developing fetus. The effects of these electromagnetic fields are poorly understood, but rather than risking any ill effects for the unborn child, it’s a good idea to stick to a regular bed with a quilt or extra blanket while the bun’s in the oven.

5. Sleep on your back

   As if it wasn’t hard enough to get a good night’s rest and feel comfortable when you’re pregnant, back and stomach sleepers have to change up their sleeping positions to avoid potential health risks. Pregnant mothers are strongly advised to sleep on their side, preferably the left side, to increase blood flow to the fetus and prevent certain health problems. Women should avoid sleeping on their back because it can cause backaches, breathing problems, digestive issues, low blood pressure, and other risks. In addition, pregnant women should avoid sleeping on their stomachs because it is physically difficult to maneuver and could be problematic to their health and the health of their baby.

6. Use saunas, hot tubs, and take hot baths

   As relaxing as it may be to sit in a steamy room or hot bath, pregnant women should avoid saunas, hot tubs, and hot baths at all costs. Hot tubs and hot baths can cause hyperthermia, an abnormally high body temperature, which can pose great risks to you and your baby. Too much time in a sauna or hot tub can mimic the effect of a fever, putting your baby’s fragile developing organs at risk. As a result, it’s recommended to avoid these activities while pregnant.

7. Clean the inside of an oven

   Pregnant women don’t have to stop cleaning or turn over all the cleaning duties to their significant other, but there are certain chores that need to be avoided during this time, like cleaning the inside of an oven and other poorly ventilated spaces. Expecting moms should limit their exposure to harmful chemical cleaners or use natural cleaners instead, and they should avoid painting or exposing themselves to the harmful fumes. Pregnant women can clean in well-ventilated spaces and open windows or turn on fans to ensure proper air circulation.

8. Go skiing and scuba diving

   Skiing and scuba diving are big no-no’s for pregnant women. Although exercise is generally good for you and your unborn baby, there is a limit to how much and what kinds of exercise you can partake in. Water and snow skiing already pose plenty of dangers as is. Pregnant women who partake in skiing are at a greater risk for falls, injuries, and complications from high altitudes. Scuba diving should also be avoided during pregnancy because the mother and her baby could be severely harmed. Scuba diving can cause birth defects, as well as gas bubbles in your baby’s blood that can lead to many health issues. Even though mothers might be able to decompress safely when returning to the water’s surface, babies often have difficulty doing so.

9. Drink caffeine

   Need a pick-me-up? You should avoid reaching for the coffee, soda, tea, or any other caffeinated beverage if you’re pregnant. Caffeine intake has been linked to birth defects and miscarriages in some studies. While no conclusive evidence exists for these drastic health effects, physicians often recommend steering clear of caffeine during pregnancy, or at least ingesting caffeine in moderation.

1. Mario Lemieux, Hodgkin’s lymphoma

   Unquestionably one of the best hockey players to ever lace up the skates, Lemieux’s health was his most fierce rival. During his career, he battled chronic back pain, chronic tendinitis, a spinal disc herniation, and most daunting, Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Diagnosed during the 1992-93 season, in which he was on pace to eclipse the single-season goal and points records, he was sidelined for two months as he underwent aggressive radiation treatments. Incredibly, he played on the last day of the treatments, scoring a goal and tallying an assist against the Flyers.

2. Saku Koivu, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

   Most 26-year-old athletes are entering the primes of their careers — Koivu, instead, simply wanted to stay alive. As with Lemieux and many other players in the intensely physical sport of hockey, he constantly battled injuries, which, in a way, may have prepared him for his bout with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While on a flight to the U.S. from Finland, he experienced tremendous stomach pain and vomiting — clear signs that something wasn’t right. As a result, he received aggressive treatment with radiation and drugs, causing him to lose significant amounts of weight and energy. With the motivation provided by the support of fellow athletes who endured the disease, he managed to return before the end of the 2001-02 season. He helped the Canadiens reach the playoffs, and played the best hockey of his career — to that point — the following season.

3. John Cullen, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

   The length at which a cancer patient is required to fight the disease varies. Cullen’s harrowing 18-month battle included numerous peaks and valleys, none of which disrupted his focus. Initially, a baseball-sized tumor was found in his chest, but chemotherapy treatments eliminated it in just a few months. Because cancer cells were still present in his body, he sat out the 1997-98 season to continue his fight. During that time, he suffered cardiac arrest — needing a defibrillator to revive him — and he later received a bone marrow transplant, which severely weakened him. His hockey career wasn’t over, however. When he was declared cancer free, he trained for a comeback, eventually signing with the Lightning.

4. Jessica Breland, Hodgkin’s lymphoma

   It’s difficult not to concede that women are the stronger humans. Breland is proof, as she too successfully defeated Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma while she was just 21-years-old. A student at the North Carolina at the time, she spent six months receiving chemotherapy treatments, missing the entire 2009-10 season. The Tar Heels leading scorer and rebounder in 2008-09 returned for her redshirt senior season, performing well enough garner a selection in the WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx, which traded her to the New York Liberty.

5. Edna Campbell, breast cancer

   Breast cancer in the most common form of cancer diagnosed in women. Most of us personally know a woman who has dealt with the disease, whether it’s a family member, friend, coworker, or acquaintance. Campbell certainly touched the lives of her teammates and fans as she battled the disease during her fourth season in the league. Incredibly, she continued to play through her treatments, serving as inspiration to the many women in her situation. Through the years, the WNBA has had a close relationship with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, utilizing its players to promote awareness of the disease. Campbell became the league’s national spokesperson for the effort, a job she embraced.

6. Brett Butler, throat cancer

   A former chewer of tobacco, Butler was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils during the latter of stages of his accomplished Major League career. After having a tonsil removed due to what the doctors thought was an infection, it was found to be cancerous, and he was forced to sit out while undergoing intensive treatment. Sidelined in May, he returned in September, finishing the season in which he encountered the biggest obstacle of his life. The 39-year-old went on to play one more season in the Majors.

7. Andres Galarraga, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

   Coming off of three consecutive seasons in which he hit 40 or more homeruns, Galaragga was enjoying the greatest success of his baseball career. However, just prior to the 1999 season, he experienced nagging back pain that wouldn’t go away. It turned out to be non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and he missed the entire season as he underwent chemotherapy treatment. On Opening Day in 2000, he returned to hit a game-winning homerun, setting the tone for an unexpectedly successful season in which he made his fifth career All-Star appearance and won the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

8. Jon Lester, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

   In 2006, the Red Sox prospect earned a promotion to the big leagues, but his rookie season was disrupted as he was faced with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. During a late-season game, he was scratched from a start due to a sore back, which he thought was caused by a car accident that occurred a month earlier. Enlarged lymph nodes and subsequent tests indicated it was more serious, and he received chemotherapy treatments during the offseason. Fortunately for Lester, it was gone before the 2007 season, enabling him to work his way back up to the bigs. The payoff was huge, as he won the clinching game of the World Series.

9. Mark Herzlich, bone cancer

   Herzlich’s senior season at Boston College was supposed to be an audition for the NFL — a chance to catapult himself into the first round. In the previous season, the linebacker made major strides, receiving First-team All-American honors. Seemingly indestructible, he shocked Eagles fans when he revealed prior to the season that he had Ewing’s sarcoma. Just a few weeks into the season, and four months after the diagnosis, he declared that he was cancer free. He then focused on preparing for the 2010 season — he eventually started all 13 games and recorded 65 tackles. He was signed by the Giants before the 2011 NFL season, and he remains on the team’s 53-man roster.

10. Lance Armstrong, testicular cancer

    At the age of 25, well-before he fulfilled is cycling potential, Armstrong was diagnosed with stage three Embryonal carcinoma. Because the cancer had spread to his brain, lungs, and abdomen, he was forced to immediately undergo surgery and chemotherapy. Even after the exhaustive response, he was given just a 40% chance of survival. He chose to undergo an alternative form of treatment that would preserve his lungs and thus his cycling career. Defying the odds, his cancer went into remission, and returned to training. Now, as a healthy 40-year-old, he boasts seven Tour de France victories, the most ever.