NEXT ON CHRONICLE.
>> BAD NEWS IS ALL AROUND US, BUT IN THE MIDST OF THE DOOM AND GLOOM THERE ARE REASONS TO BE HOPEFUL.
PEOPLE HELPING O ANOTHER, RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS, AND OPTIMISM IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY.
>> STUDIES HAVE SHOWN CONSUMING POSITIVE NEWS INSPIRES YOU TO DO GOOD.
AND ALSO PUT YOU IN A BETTER MOOD.
>> BOSTON GENERALIST MICHELLE FIGARO IT MADE IT HER MISSION TO ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE.
AS 2020 BEGAN SHE LAUNCHED THE GOOD NEWS MOVEMENT, AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON THE GOOD IN THE WORLD.
>> WE KNOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A PLACE FOR NEGATIVITY.
BUT WHY NOT MAKE IT A PLACE FOR POSITIVITY?
>> 2 MILLION PEOPLE FOLLOW THE ACCOUNT WHERE FIGARO GATHERS AND PROMOTES UPBEAT STORIES.
ONE OF HER FAVORITES, A BOY JONATHAN JONES, WHO IS COLORBLIND.
>> WITH THE HELP OF SPECIAL GLASSES LOW TO HIM BY HIS SCHOOL PRINCE WILL WHO IS ALSO COLOR MIND -- COLORBLIND, HE WAS ALL -- ALL OF A SUDDEN ABLE TO SEE COLORS HE NEVER KNEW EXISTED.
>> WHAT YOU THINK [CRYIN HERE..
BE HAPPY.
BIEN EXAMPLE.
-- BE AN EXAMPLE.
>> THE SIMPLE GESTURE INSPIRED A DONOR TO SEND JONATHAN HIS OWN GLASSES.
THAT DRIVE FOR DONATIONS FOR OTHER CHILDREN WITH COLORBLINDNESS.
IT IS CALLED GOOD NEWS BECAUSE I’M ALSO CONNECTING PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP.
RIGHT NOW IT IS HARD FOR ALL OF US TO SEE THE LIGHT OF THE END OF THE TUNNEL, WITH A PANDEMIC, NOT KNOWING WHEN THE END IS.
BUT I THINK, HAVING A WINDOW INTO HOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE COPING.
HAVING STORIES OF PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, IT IS ALWAYS IN THE WORST OF TIMES WHEN YOU SEE THE BEST OF HUMANITY TIMES PEOPLE MOST NEED THE
SUPPORT OF OTHERS.
♪ >> ♪ JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME ♪ >> AT VOICES OF HOPE, THEY FIND IT.
>> IT IS THIS INCREDIBLE FAMILY.
IT IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER THAT LOVE EACH OTHER AND CARE ABOUT THE CAUSE OF RAISING MONEY TO ERADICATE CANCER.
>> ♪ JOY TO THE EARTH ♪ THIS IS MORE THAN MUSIC.
SINCE 2009, VOICES OF HOPES 150 VOLUNTEERS RAISE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE CENTER FOR TARGETED THERAPIES AT MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL THROUGH SONG.
APRIL FULLY AS A SOLOIST.
LIKE MOST MEMBERS, CANCER TOUCHED HER LIFE.
>> I WAS HERE TO SUPPORT MY FRIENDS AND THEIR LOVED ONES AND PEOPLE GOING THROUGH AT.
THEN, TWO YEARS AGO, THIS FALL, MY HUSBAND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY SERIOUS FORM OF ESOPHAGEAL STOMACH CANCER.
I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LOSE HIM.
THE PROGNOSIS WAS NOT GOOD.
>> ♪ SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT ♪ APRIL FOUND COMFORT IN A MUSIC AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FROM HER FELLOW VOLUNTEERS WHO UNDERSTOOD HER PAIN.
>> CAREGIVERS NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE TAKE THEM OUT, AND HAVE COFFEE WITH THEM AND GIVE THEM A SO THAT THEY CAN GO BACK.
IT IS NOT EASY BECAUSE YOU LOVE THIS PERSON SO MUCH AND WANT TO DO EVERYTHING NOTHING YOU CAN.
AND YOU NEED PEOPLE TO HOLD YOU UP AS WELL.
SO THAT YOU CAN HOLD UP YOUR PERSON.
>> AFTER SURGERY, CHEMO, AND RADIATION AT MGH AND TLC FROM APRIL, HER HUSBAND, JACK, IS CANCER FREE.
SHE IS GRATEFUL FOR VOICES OF HOPE.
>> IT IS SO JOYFUL.
IT IS NOT SAD.
IT IS HAPPY.
IT IS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT GOING THROUGH THE STRUGGLE OF CANCER.
♪ YOU GET WRAPPED AROUND WITH A BIG HUG.
I THINK EVERYBODY THAT COMES TO OUR SHOWS FEELS THAT.
♪ >> VOLUNTEER JENNIFE ANELLO LEE NOT VOICES OF HOPE IN HER BATTLE AGAINST CANCER.
>> I CANNOT IMAGINE DOING THIS JOURNEY WITHOUT THIS GROUP, HAVING THOSE POSITIVE FEELINGS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT ARE IMMEASURABLE.
YOU CANNOT SUBSTITUTE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
♪ >> ♪ HERE MY SONG ♪ >> VOICES OF HOPE RAISES FUNDS THROUGH IN PERSON CONCERTS AND WAS GEARING UP THIS YEAR TO HIT THE MILLION DOLLAR MILESTONE IN
TOTAL DONATIONS.
BUT COVID CREDIT CHALLENGES.
FOUNDER GREG CHASTAIN HAS FAITH VIRTUAL CONCERT WILL SUPPLEMENT LOSSES FROM CANCELLATIONS.
MEANTIME, THEIR MISSION CARRIES ON.
IT REALLY IS ABOUT HOPE, ABOUT JOY.
IT SHOWS WHAT A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
HOPEFULLY, SOMEDAY WE WILL BE SINGING JUST TO SING, NOT WORRY ABOUT CANCER ANYMORE, THAT IS OUR HOPE.
♪ [APPLAUSE] >> VOICES OF HOPE PREMIERED AS VIRTUAL HOLIDAY CABARET SATURDAY.
THE PERFORMANC RAISED $1500 IN DONATIONS SO FAR.
IF YOU MISSED THE SHOW, FEAR NOT.
IT LIVES ONLINE ON THEIR WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN ALSO DONATE.
THEY SAY, STAY TUNED FOR MORE PERFORMANCES IN 2021 AS FOR MICHELLE FIGUEROA AND THE GOOD NEWS MOVEMENT, SHE IS RUNNING THE WEBSITE FULL TIME.
HER SITE ACHIEVED INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION EARLIER THIS YEAR AFTER RECEIVING A SHOUT OUT FROM , PRINCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKL FOR BRINGING JOY TO THE WORLD.
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