Caitlin Hrebik

Not everyday a person performs good actions that affect a group of people. However, it is even more rare if a performed action speaks to all humankind. “Great actions speak to all humankind” means every person understands when a good action is performed by one person for another. Any person, from any background, whether it is economic, social class, or intelligence is able to see and comprehend a gift or great action towards another human being that benefits society. Mother Theresa, the organization Locks for Love, and the organization Miracle League have all performed great actions that speak to all humankind.

Mother Theresa was not like many other people; she was unique. Not many people understood why she did the things she did, but they could understand the actions that she performed bettered all humankind. Her actions helped other people become better individuals. Mother Theresa created homes for the dying, the unwanted, and AIDS victims all over the world. She comforted the poor, the sick, and the unwanted around the world for more than forty-five years. Mother Theresa’s actions touched many people, but more importantly her actions spoke to all humankind and showed how all people were meant to be treated.

Not everyday there is an organization that helps underpriveliged children. Locks of Love is that exception. Locks of Love provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children who are under the age of eighteen and live in the United States or Canada. Most of the children have lost their hair from a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The goal of the organization is to return a sense of self confidence and normality to children suffering from hair loss. This is done by people donating ponytails that are at least ten inches long to the organization. The hair is then customized into a wig suitable for one child. Locks of Love has affected many people in a great way and the actions of many people who have donated their hair have spoken to all humankind in a beneficial way.

Another exceptional organization that speaks to all humankind is The Miracle League. It is a league that allows handicapped children and young adults the opportunity to play baseball. The Miracle League has over two hundred organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico. Miracle League not only allows the handicapped to play baseball but it also allows volunteers of all ages to help the disabled play baseball. The child or adult is assigned a “buddy” (volunteer) to help them throughout the game. The volunteer plays catch with the child or adult in the outfield, helps them bat, and helps them run the bases. The volunteer is greatly appreciated by the adult or child. This is visible by the huge smile the child or adult has on their faces when they are playing the game. The actions of the volunteers touch the hearts of the handicapped children or adults playing baseball, but most of all the actions speak to all humankind and show how all people are able to do something, even if they have a disability.

People of all races, intelligences, and social and economic backgrounds can understand the value and importance of a great action performed for another human being. These great actions, whether performed by an international celebrity or a common person, affect humanity for the better. People participating in the organizations, Locks for Love and The Miracle League, will be remembered for the way they have reached out and touched the lives of others. They truly have affected humankind and made the world a better place.

If I were to design a product that blends form and function, I would create a pill that improves the quality of life for people who are going through cancer treatments. The pill would help all cancer patients who are involved in chemotherapy. It would prevent a patient from losing their hair, it would not put as much stress on the body, and it would not make a person sick from the radiation. The pill would would be inserted through the mouth and it would be taken once a month. It would only be obtainable through the person’s doctor and it would be an easy to swallow pill. I came across this discovery through previous research and decided to improve upon the pill that already exists. I want the life of a cancer patient to improve and I did not want them to endure the chemotherapy treatments. The pill for cancer patient’s would be for all ages, all types of cancer, and it would improve the quality of life for all cancer patients.

By far the most important technological invention to benefit society is magnetic resonance imaging which is also known as the MRI. No other medical test provided more detailed images of the body quicker and more accurate than the MRI. Because the information was seen more clearly, there were less possibilities to diagnose a condition incorrectly. Different MRI scans were an additional benefit to society. With machines specialized to scan certain areas of the body, the diagnosis could be more accurate. Finally, magnetic resonance imaging provided more safety for patients. Because it was safer, people were no longer worried when they needed an MRI. Although the MRI is a recent invention, it continues to evolve and benefit society.

An MRI is used to distinguish pathologic tissue from normal tissue. It allows the doctor to see internal organs, blood vessels, muscles, and joints very clearly. When an MRI takes place, the MRI machine creates a magnetic field and sends radio waves through the body. The response is measured with a computer. The computer creates an image of the inside of the body that is extremely clear. The excellent quality of MRI images can provide the best possible information if surgery is required. It also shows exactly where the abnormality is, its size, and whether it has spread. A typical MRI usually last five to twenty sequences. In other words, it lasts about thirty minutes to an hour. The MRI in today’s society is quick and accurate, however as time passes the MRI will become even more quicker and more accurate in the future.

Another reason the MRI is the most beneficial invention to society is because there are different kinds of MRI scans. By having different types of scans it allows certain scans to focus on a particular body part. Some MRI scans include the neck, the knee, and the brain. A MRI of the neck is used to look for degenerative disc disease, a herniated disc, or a pinched disc. A MRI of the knee focuses on the muscles, the ligaments, cartilage, and joint structures. A functional MRI focuses on the brain. It measures signal changes in the brain that are due to changing neural activity. As time progresses, there will be more MRI’s invented that only focus on a certain body part.

The final reason MRI’s benefit society is because they are harmless to patients. MRI’s use strong magnetic fields and non-ionizing radiation in the frequency radio wave. An MRI conatins no risks of malignancy. An MRI is also used for people who are pregnant. Since an MRI avoids the use of ionizing radiation, the fetus inside the mother is safe. MRI’s are also harmless to patients with pacemakers in their body. However, people with implants must take some precautions. Although MRI’s are mostly harmless, advances are still being made to make sure MRI’s will be completely harmless.

There are many benefits of an MRI in today’s society. An MRI is harmless, there are different types of MRI’s, and it allows for a quicker diagnosis. It is also more comprehensive than a X-ray. However, the future of the MRI is even brighter. Two improvements of the MRI will be the scanner will be a lot smaller than it is for certain parts of the body and there will be better ways to detect a stroke. The MRI of the future will have more benefits and will be better than the MRI of today’s society.