Penneys donates over 45,000 products to HSE workers and 4 other good news stories 

In need of some light relief from the negative news cycle? Here are five happy news stories to make your weekend a little better

What week is it again? Our minutes, hours, days, and weeks have moulded into one continuous channel of moments. We no longer know the day or the time and we find ourselves waiting for the numbers each evening, to determine what our lives will look like in the weeks to come.

It may seem a little negative out there, but there are still wonderful things happening across the globe. From retailers providing care packages to actresses providing us with some nostalgic entertainment.

These five stories are guaranteed to make you smile.

Penneys donates over 45,000 products to HSE frontline workers

Retail giant Penneys is donating 6,000 care packs filled with over 45,000 products to HSE frontline workers and patients in several hospitals across Ireland. Items such as leggings, t-shirts, underwear, socks and pyjama sets were boxed and delivered to hospitals such as The Mater Hospital, Sligo University Hospital, and Letterkenny University Hospital.

The HSE donation forms just one part of a global volunteer effort by hundreds of Primark employees to support those at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19.

Fertility preservation services resume for oncology patients

Rotunda IVF has announced the recommencement of oncology fertility services with immediate effect. The services which include egg and sperm freezing for oncology patients have resumed following consultation with the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).

Dr John Kennedy, Group Medical Director of Rotunda IVF and Sims IVF said: “The timeline for oncology patients seeking to undergo fertility preservation is in most cases time-sensitive, as treatment for chronic illnesses can impact an individual’s ability to conceive. Over the coming days, our team will contact the relevant patients to schedule their treatment.

“Over the past week, we have been preparing the Rotunda IVF clinic to reopen on a limited basis to provide this essential service. While other services are still restricted at present, we are constantly reviewing the situation. We want to reassure all of our patients that we are working hard to get our full service back up and running during these uncertain times. We would like to thank them for their understanding during what is a clearly difficult time for them.”

Coronavirus vaccine trials in the UK are underway

The first human trials of a possible Covid-19 vaccine got underway yesterday at the University of Oxford. The scientists working on the vaccine said there is an 80% chance of success.

The Himalayas become visible for first time in years

CNN has reported that people in the Northern Indian state of Punjab are now able to see the Himalayas – which is 100 miles away – due to a significant decrease in air pollution. Those in the city of Jalandhar and the surrounding area have been posting photos of the discovery online.

What nature really is and how we screwed it up.

This is Dhauladhar mountain range of Himachal, visible after 30 yrs, from Jalandhar (Punjab) after pollution drops to its lowest level. This is approx. 200 km away straight. #Lockdown21 #MotherNature #Global healing. pic.twitter.com/cvZqbWd6MR

— Diksha Walia (@Deewalia) April 3, 2020

The city of Delhi saw a 44% drop in PM10 air pollution on the first day of its restriction.

Anne Hathaway proves she is truly iconic

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Anne Hathaway (@annehathaway) on Apr 22, 2020 at 7:52am PDT

And finally, a story that may not be deemed ‘news’ by many but made us smile all the same. Actress Anne Hathaway took to Instagram to take part in the viral pillowcase challenge. She took inspiration from her role as Princess Mia in the classic that is The Princess Diaries. Wearing combat boots, sunglasses, and headphones, it was the perfect ode to a beloved film.

Plus, her caption was perfect reading, “A Queen is never late; everyone else is simply early.”

Image: Penneys 

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