Rewilding Plan Aims to Bring Majestic White Storks to London

A working group is considering bringing white storks back to London, potentially nesting among the city's iconic buildings. The success of reintroducing these charismatic birds in southern England has sparked interest in expanding their habitat to Greater London. Citizen Zoo is leading the effort, aiming to engage with boroughs and local communities for support. With increasing sightings of white storks in the capital, there is hope for a symbol of ecological recovery soaring above Buckingham Palace one day.

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New Report Finds 19 Global Cities Cut Toxic Air Pollution Since 2010

Cleaner air can sound like a slow, distant goal. But a new report says some cities have already made big gains. A report from breathecities.org examining the air quality of 100 global cities found 19 had substantially improved since 2010. Nine of those 19 were in China and Hong Kong. The rest were in Europe, and included both large and small cities. In the United States, San Francisco reduced both health-harming fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, and airway-aggravating nitrogen dioxide, or NO2. The report said there is no minimum safe level of PM2.5, which refers to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers. It has been linked to many different diseases, from asthma to Alzheimer’s, throughout a human life. “This report shows that cities can achieve what was once thought impossible: cutting toxic air pollution by 20-45% in a little over a decade,” said Cecilia Vaca Jones, recently-appointed executive director of Breathe Cities, one of the organizations behind the report. “This isn’t just happening in one corner of the world; from Warsaw to Bangkok, cities are proving that we have the tools to solve this crisis right now.” The report said the 19 cities used different combinations of measures. Those included replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with electric ones, adding more bike lanes in crowded European cities, and placing restrictions on woodburning stoves and fossil fuel power plants within city limits. Beijing and Warsaw recorded the biggest reductions in PM2.5, at more than 45 percent. Amsterdam and Rotterdam posted the biggest improvements in nitrogen dioxide, also above 40 percent. San Francisco reduced both pollutants by 20 percent. The report found PM2.5 was more often reduced in European cities, which have focused more on switching electricity sources to clean energy. Chinese and other Asian cities had greater reductions in NO2 because of a stronger focus on replacing internal combustion engine cars with electric vehicles. The report examined 100 global cities and found 19 had substantially improved since 2010.

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Caring For Grandchildren May Help Keep Your Brain Healthy, Says a New Study

For many grandparents, time with grandchildren is a joy. A new study says it may also be linked to better cognitive health, especially for grandmothers. Researchers used data from almost 10,000 grandparents in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing who did not live with their grandchildren. Across three points over six years, the grandparents were asked if they had looked after their grandchildren without the child’s parents present during the prior two years. Those who had provided care also reported how often they did it, in what circumstances, including school holidays, weekends, weekdays or throughout the year, and what kinds of activities they did. Those activities included caring for a grandchild when ill, play or leisure activities, and picking up or dropping them off at school. At each time point, the grandparents also completed cognitive testing. That included a verbal fluency test, measuring how many animals they could name in one minute, and an episodic memory test, measuring how many words they could recall from a list immediately after hearing it and again after a five-minute delay. The researchers compared caregiving and non-caregiving grandparents on cognition. After accounting for other differences that could influence caregiving status or cognition, including age, number of children and grandchildren, education, physical limitations or depression, they found that caregiving grandparents had greater cognitive strength at all three assessment points than matched non-caregiving grandparents. Lead researcher Flavia Chereches of Tilburg University said the result fits with broader research on grandparenting and healthy aging. “We know that staying active as we get older is good, by moving our bodies and by engaging in cognitive-stimulating activities,” she says. “Grandchild care can offer older adults opportunities for such activities.” Chereches said happiness may also be part of the picture. While she and her team could not assess how much grandparents enjoyed caring for their grandchildren from the available data, she said other studies have found that positive emotion and better cognition are linked. Caring for a grandchild can also give grandparents a sense of meaning and purpose, which she said are known to help people age well. “Research shows that having a sense of meaning and purpose is linked to better cognitive and overall health. If grandparents perceive caregiving as meaningful and fulfilling, that may help explain some of the benefits,” she says. The study also looked closely at the type and frequency of caregiving. Chereches found that neither appeared to make much difference to the outcome. Any amount or type of caregiving was tied to better cognition at a given time. But when the researchers looked at cognitive decline over time, they found a gender difference. Only grandmothers who provided care were protected in comparison to other grandparents. Grandfathers were not. Chereches said she was not sure why, but said it could reflect differences in the way grandmothers and grandfathers care for grandchildren. “Past research suggests that grandmothers often coordinate caregiving, making plans for how caregiving would look, while also performing more hands-on care, for example, cooking for the grandchild,” she says. “Grandfathers often take on a more supportive and recreational role.” She said it is also possible that some grandfathers see caregiving as more of an obligation than a choice. It may be more stressful for them, or may interfere with other things they would prefer to do. “What feels manageable and meaningful for one person may feel overwhelming for another,” says Chereches. “When caregiving becomes more of a source of strain rather than fulfillment, we would not expect positive effects,” she adds. Chereches said no grandparent should feel badly if caring for a grandchild is not for them. She described caregiving as a complex task and said some people benefit more than others. Some grandparents may live far from their grandchildren, making it nearly impossible to help regularly. Others may simply prefer to spend their time in other ways. Still, she said the results point to a possible benefit for grandparents who choose to stay involved. Along with possible gains for cognition, caregiving can also provide more social connection and physical activity. “For grandparents who enjoy providing care, staying involved with grandchildren may be a meaningful and engaging way to remain active in later life,” says Chereches.

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European Cities are Offering New Rewards To Encourage Sustainable Tourism

Europe’s tourist hotspots have spent months putting up barriers. Copenhagen tried handing out perks instead, and now other cities are taking notes. The Danish capital launched CopenPay in 2024, rewarding tourists who show responsible and conscious behaviour. The aim is to show travellers that climate actions “can be much easier than they think,” while promoting sustainable tourism. Under the program, travellers can get free bike rentals, boat tours and lunches if they help in communal gardens, collect litter and use public transport. That approach has drawn attention from other destinations including Berlin, Helsinki and Bremen. “Since launching CopenPay last summer, we’ve been met by an enormous interest from cities and tourist boards from Europe, Asia and North America, all wanting to know more about CopenPay and our learnings,” said Søren Tegen Petersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, to EuroNews. “So far, we have shared insights on CopenPay with more than 100 interested parties.” Bremen is the latest city to say it will launch its own version. The German city announced BremenPay, due to start in May 2026, as a tourism initiative rewarding sustainable travel choices. The scheme would cover activities including walking, arriving by train, cycling, boat hires, extending a stay in Bremen and shopping consciously from second-hand shops and local, artisinal boutiques. Travellers who provide proof of those activities, such as a photo or ticket, could receive rewards including free city tours, coffee and reduced admission fees to tourist attractions. Bremen already has a related campaign with Deutsche Bahn. Overnight guests arriving by train receive surprise goodie bags with small gifts and vouchers from local tourism businesses. “The campaign was very well received by our visitors and has encouraged us to further expand the concept, strengthening Bremen as a sustainable destination,” said Oliver Rau, managing director of Bremen Marketing and Tourism, Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbH. “For 2026, we are planning an even larger initiative.” Berlin is also considering a similar program and could begin pilot testing this year. The proposed model could reward travellers who arrive by train, stay longer, eat plant-based meals and take part in eco-friendly activities. Possible perks include museum entry fee discounts, free food and complimentary bicycle rentals. The city expects the program could help narrow the gap between tourists who want to act more responsibly and their actual behaviour. Berlin has suggested it would use mobile apps and points-based systems to manage rewards and engagement, alongside partnerships with local businesses. Helsinki is also looking at a version of the idea, with a likely focus on regenerative tourism and Baltic Sea restoration projects in collaboration with other Baltic and Nordic destinations. Its scheme would also encourage tourists to use public transport and cycle, with rewards such as free meals and discounted tours. Elsewhere, some Alpine ski destinations are already using discounts to push lower-emissions travel. Via Lattea in Italy and Les Gets-Morzine in France are cutting up to 25 percent off ski passes this year for visitors who arrive by rail. Rewarding responsible behaviour is not new. London has run similar local schemes for years. In July, during Plastic Free July, visitors and residents have been rewarded with a free drink for taking part in cleanups. In Switzerland, travellers who explore the country by public transport can get free entrance to more than 500 museums with a Swiss Travel Pass, as well as up to 50 percent off most mountain railways. Wild Sweden, an award-winning holiday company, also offers spa access and a free meal at Hotel Savoy in Lulea to visitors who arrive in Swedish Lapland by rail for their Northern Lights and wildlife holiday. Last spring, Normandy launched a low-carbon tariff offering a discount of at least 10 percent on admission to 90 attractions and cultural sites. The offer applies to visitors arriving in the northern French region by bus, train or cycle, and can be used at castles, museums, monuments and parks, as well as for bike rentals, canoeing and escape rooms.

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Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Temple Linked To a Powerful Society Lost To History

A 2,000-year-old temple has turned up in Denmark, adding a new piece to an ancient site archaeologists already saw as unusual. The Museum of Central Jutland, also known as Museum Midtjylland, announced the find at Hedegård, an ancient site near Ejstrupholm north of the Skjern River. According to the museum’s website, Hedegård contains Scandinavia’s “largest and richest burial site,” and the latest excavation began last August. The museum said Hedegård has been identified as Denmark’s largest settlement from the time “around the birth of Christ.” Working with researchers from Museum Horsens and Moesgaard Museum, archaeologists found evidence of a vast fortified settlement that once served as a regional power center during the Iron Age. Finds from the settlement include luxury goods, weapons from Celtic tribes and “prestige” items from Roman workshops. The museum said the settlement “flourished in the period leading up to the birth of Christ.” The museum added, “this is when we see the rich graves and numerous weapon graves in the cemetery north of the village.” The newly announced temple measured about 15 by 16 metres. The museum said, “The structure likely appeared as a tall, almost square, tower-like building with an outer colonnade.” Archaeologists found that the structure had once burned down. Beneath the burn layer, excavators found traces of “two temple phases” that they said shed light on its history. “At the exact center was a [6 x 6 foot] raised clay platform,” officials said. The museum said, “In the younger phase, an ornamented hearth was built here, partially covering the earlier hearth. The younger temple was shifted about [30 inches] north compared to the older one, but was otherwise nearly identical. The older hearth remained untouched, the new one was simply built over it.” Archaeologists also found plaster fragments that suggest the temple’s walls were once painted white. The site stated, “Preliminary results suggest the temple functioned in the decades around the birth of Christ.” It also said, “The structure likely appeared as a tall, almost square, tower-like building with an outer colonnade. The hearth dominated the interior space.” The museum said, “The temple was carefully cleared before being deliberately burned, leaving few finds. However, two exceptional glass beads were discovered, likely produced in the Middle East or Egypt.” Hedegård has drawn scholarly attention since Danish archaeologists found an unusual number of richly adorned graves there in the late 1980s. The museum called the site “unique in Northern European archaeology, an early and unparalleled display of military, economic, and religious power.” Martin Winther Olesen, an archaeology curator, said archaeologists had known for more than three decades that the site was “something completely different.” “When our geophysical surveys revealed a fortification in the village it was clear that this was something out of the ordinary,” he said. Olesen identified the temple as a pagan structure built between 50 B.C. and 50 A.D. He said, “Christianity did not reach Scandinavia until almost 1,000 years later,” and added that Hedegård had “extensive foreign relations” including knowledge of Celtic and Roman architectural traditions. Evidence appears to suggest Hedegård was only in use for three generations before it disappeared. Olesen said the evidence shows Hedegård had “everything it takes to be an early Iron Age power center.” He also said he could talk about the site “for two hours straight.” “The site is strategically located and controls the most important road up through Jutland,” he said. “There is clear militarization in the form of weapons, but also in the construction of the fortification.” He added, “There is a political elite, monumental construction, there are crafts and trade and of course it is also a center for the practice of the cult.” Olesen said the find was only possible because of “super talented archaeologists and researchers from Denmark and abroad.” “It is an exquisite privilege to be allowed to work with a find that has an international dimension,” said Olesen. 📸credit: Museum Midtjylland

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Doctors Gave This 5-Year-Old Girl A New Heart After Months In The Hospital

After eight months of waiting in a hospital room, Malia Croley’s family got the call they had been hoping for. The 5-year-old from Lexington, Kentucky, received a heart transplant this week after months of battling cardiomyopathy, a chronic heart disease. Her family said the surgery has given her a new chance at life. Malia had been fighting the condition since early last year. During that time, her family spent eight months at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital as they waited for a suitable donor. Her mother, Jerrica Croley, told Lex 18 the call about a matching heart brought immediate relief. “One night I was sitting beside Bia, and they called, and I cried, and she was like, ‘Mommy, what? Are you okay?’ But, it was a sense of relief,” Jerrica said. Malia’s transplant surgery lasted 14 hours. She is now recovering and is expected to leave the ICU in a few days. After that, she will move to a Ronald McDonald House before eventually returning home. She will also have regular doctor visits to monitor her recovery. Jerrica said family support helped them through the long hospital stay. She praised her twin sister, Jameshia, who drove to Cincinnati whenever needed to provide comfort and practical help. Looking ahead, Malia will visit her doctors three times a week. She also hopes to return to school next fall. Her mother said the transplant gives her daughter “a second chance at life.”

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US Coast Guard Rescues Stranded Snowmobiler From Drifting Ice Near Mackinac Island

A snowmobile trip off Mackinac Island ended with a Coast Guard rescue after a man became stranded on drifting ice during a whiteout blizzard. Mackinac Island Fire Chief Jason St. Onge said fire officials were alerted at about 4:40 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, that a man had become lost on the ice, the Detroit Free Press reported. "The man was told (through a translator over the phone) to stay put, and that rescue was coming to him," St. Onge said. Firefighters then advised the man to use his GPS to move toward their location while St. Onge and five other firefighters went out on the ice as part of the rescue crew. Officials said the rescue moved slowly because of waist-deep snow and other conditions that made it difficult. The man then reached open water and became stuck on a piece of drifting ice, prompting a Coast Guard rescue. The Coast Guard said blizzard conditions made an air rescue unsafe, so it deployed the USCG Cutter Mackinaw, an icebreaking vessel. The cutter located the man and brought him and his snowmobile aboard the ship. The man's identity was not released by the Coast Guard or fire officials. He was reported to be in stable condition. St. Onge also told the Free Press that officials warned the man not to go onto the ice, but he went anyway and became stranded about 1.6 kilometres off shore. "The ice is no joke, not an inland lake or a mill pond. Conditions can and do change by the minute. Not one entity endorses the ice, nor is anyone in charge of its safety or security," St. Onge said in a news release. Mackinac Island is in Lake Huron and has been a Michigan state park since 1895. 📸@USCGGreatLakes on X.

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Good Samaritans Rushed to Save 3 Teens Trapped Upside Down in a Canal

A terrifying crash on a Mississippi highway ended with three teenagers trapped in an upside-down car in a canal, and strangers rushing into the water to pull them out. Three Mississippi teenagers are recovering after their car went off the road, flipped three times and landed upside down in water on the side of the highway, according to ABC and CBS local affiliate WLOX-TV. The teens were identified as siblings Mariah, Michael and Matthew Gill. Mariah, a Bay High senior, was driving at the time of the crash, WLOX reported. Witness J.D. Durant said he saw the incident while traveling eastbound on I-10 with his adult son James Durant and co-worker Missy Pearson. The three pulled over immediately to help. “When [the car] started flipping like it did, I was afraid we were in for some hard times,” Durant told WLOX. The crash left the vehicle upside down in a canal, and Mariah told the station she could hear her brothers as water started filling the car. “I could hear my brothers screaming, ‘Water is coming in,’ ” Mariah told WLOX. “They got out, and I hear them saying, ‘My sister is still in there.’ ” WLOX reported that dozens of bystanders entered the water to rescue the teens. Up to 15 cars pulled off on the side of the highway, and Mariah was quickly pulled from the wrecked vehicle. The family has alleged that another vehicle was involved in the crash. When reached by PEOPLE, the Harrison County Sheriff’s confirmed that deputies were able to identify a suspected vehicle, but said the case had been turned over to the Mississippi Highway Patrol for further investigation. Garside, who owns Long Beach Screen Printing with the children’s stepfather, has shared updates about the crash on Facebook. Garside also shared a GoFundMe fundraiser dedicated to supporting the children’s recovery and replacing the transportation they relied on. 📸 credit: gofundme

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Man With Motor Neurone Disease Just Created These Unique Gadgets To Tackle Daily Challenges

For Andrew Herbert, a bed that opens its own covers to the Wallace & Gromit theme tune is not a gimmick. It is one of many ways he has tried to keep control of daily life while living with Motor Neurone Disease. The 55-year-old tech specialist has turned his home into a workshop of practical and playful inventions, using smart sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence to deal with the day-to-day challenges of the progressive condition. Andrew, a father of two who was diagnosed with MND in 2022, said: "Necessity is the mother of invention. "When I'm sat here, I have plenty of time to think about how I can solve problems." MND is a neurological condition that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord that control movement. Over time, it causes muscles to weaken, leaving people increasingly unable to walk, talk, eat or breathe independently. For Andrew, the diagnosis came after years of noticing changes in his body. He said: "I did a lot of cycling, running and all sorts of outdoor pursuits. "But about four years ago, I noticed I was getting weaker. I couldn't understand it." Before his diagnosis, he had prided himself on an active lifestyle and used to cycle a 103-kilometre round trip to work once a week. After a series of tests, doctors confirmed he had MND. Andrew, who has worked in tech for more than three decades and is now Chief Technology Officer at financial services firm Novuna, said: "It's a life-changing event. "I was thinking about my family and how they're going to manage with me deteriorating." As his mobility became more difficult, he started applying his technical skills at home. Using open-source smart home software called Home Assistant, Andrew built a network that lets him control devices and systems around the house from one place. He said: "It can centralise the controls of all the devices I have. "I've come up with various things to make my life easier." Some of those ideas solve practical problems. Others are there to make him smile. The bed-cover device is one of the clearest examples of both. Built from repurposed curtain motors, it rolls back his covers when he gets too hot or cold. Andrew said: "I'd get too hot or cold in bed, so I fitted the curtain openers, they actually work really well. "They're linked up to a smart speaker that plays the Wallace & Gromit theme tune." He said the lighter side of the inventions matters. "A lot of what I do is just for fun, as well as being useful." Around the house, he has added more systems to support his routine. At the front door, facial recognition software identifies approaching carers and plays a musical theme to welcome them. Inside, cameras powered by artificial intelligence help him monitor different parts of his life, from birds in the garden to readings from his ventilator overnight. Andrew said: "There's AI on the bird feeder that identifies any interesting birds that visit, but it does make mistakes sometimes, because it's an American programme. "The other day, it told me there was a chickadee in the garden." The same technology also helps him keep track of his health. Cameras scan the numbers on his ventilator while he sleeps so he can check the readings the next morning. Despite the progression of MND, Andrew still works three days a week and leads major technology projects for Novuna, which serves more than 1.3 million customers. He has also encouraged colleagues to take part in fundraising challenges for organisations including the MND Association and the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. As well as helping him manage life at home, Andrew said sharing his inventions online has become an important outlet. He said: "I think people with MND should try to find creative outlets when they can't do what they used to be able to do. "This is an area where I can be creative and get a real sense of purpose."

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Farmer’s Daughter Turns Rejected Calf Into Viral Housemate And TikTok Star

A calf that was rejected by its mother has become an unlikely housemate, and a social media hit, after a Cheshire farmer started raising her by hand. Tash Thompson, 26, shares her home near Crewe with June, a 120-kilogram Simmental Pedigree calf that follows her around the kitchen and has developed a habit of chewing through WiFi cables. Videos of June wearing bows, scarves and Manchester City colours have drawn thousands of fans online. Tash said: "She was always following me around outside, so I thought, why not let her into the house? "After that, she kept coming inside, so I just decided to set up a tripod one day." June was rejected by her mother after birth, so Tash stepped in and bottle fed her herself. After caring for the calf around the clock, Tash said June did not want to leave her side. She said: "I made a TikTok video showing me making a bottle and feeding her, but I wasn't expecting it to get 500,000 likes. "All of my family were howling. It seemed to be really popular, so I just carried on. "I can't believe how many people have seen her now. "One of the videos has got millions of views." The videos show June waking Tash up in bed, getting her teeth brushed, drinking milk from a giant bottle and standing still while bows are clipped into her hair. Tash said: "I put her in a multi-coloured, fluffy snood from Dunelm Mill and she just started strutting around in the kitchen, it was hilarious." Despite the attention online, June still spends most of her time on the family farm, although Tash said she sometimes causes problems when she comes inside. Tash said: "She has chewed through our WiFi cable box which is a nightmare, she has a real thing for cables." She said the family has been surprised by how well behaved June is in the house. Tash added: "It's very cute when she puts her head on the kitchen top. "I think I've accidentally potty trained her too, because she knows not to go in the house. "She doesn't really make any mess because she's too small to cause any damage. She's like a big dog." June is about 0.9 metres tall, and her place in the house has stretched to football routines too. Tash said: "My whole family support Man City, so I've got lots of tops and scarves. "The derby was coming on, so I thought, let's get them on for June. It's like we share clothes!" Behind the videos, Tash said caring for June has also helped her manage epilepsy, which she has lived with for years. Tash said: "Because I've had to bottle feed her since she was a baby, I've had to keep to a strict schedule. "My medication is awful, I have to take six tablets a day and they zombify you. "But June has made sure I get up every morning and stay on schedule." She said the animals on the farm have helped her more broadly too. Tash added: "All of my cows are therapy for me, really. It's a great way to get yourself outside. "June brightens up my day and I think she does the same for everyone who watches her on TikTok." Tash also joked that the family may soon need to repair its French windows if June keeps squeezing through the back door as she grows. Asked if she expected one of her farm animals to become a viral star, Tash said: "I wouldn't have believed it. I'd think you were crazy."

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867-5309 Now Connects Callers To A Cancer Helpline

That famous phone number from the early 1980s has a new job. The number 867-5309, made famous by Tommy Tutone's 1981 hit "867-5309/Jenny," is now a helpline for people impacted by cancer. Run by the global nonprofit Cancer Support Community, the free line offers guidance, resources and emotional support. If people call, Jenny will not answer. A cancer support expert will. Tommy Tutone singer Tommy Heath, 78, told PEOPLE he was moved to take part because cancer has touched his own life. "I have some family members who are struggling with cancer," Heath told PEOPLE, adding that he is also dealing with "minor" skin cancer. He said the disease can appear without warning. "I'm out on tour with a lot of bands and suddenly somebody's not there," he explained to PEOPLE. Cancer, he said, is "affecting us all." Heath has joined the Cancer Support Community and Gilda's Club for the campaign. Gilda's Club was started in honor of the late actress Gilda Radner, who died from ovarian cancer in 1989. Under the campaign, anyone who dials the number linked to the song can speak with professionals. Cancer Support Community CEO Sally Werner told PEOPLE, "Anyone impacted by cancer can call CSC-867-5309 [272-867-5309] to receive immediate support, trusted information, and personalized guidance from trained specialists at Cancer Support Community." Heath said he hopes the number can offer some comfort in a difficult moment. "I hope when someone is depressed and confused, they'll go, 'Hey, I'll call 867-5309. Somebody's waiting there to help me.' And I hope they smile at that point." "That's the way I think it ought to work, and I hope it does," he said, adding that he jumped at the chance to help the cause. "I need to give back to the community, the people who have supported me all these years," he shared. "I'm going to do what I can." Heath also said he was drawn in as soon as he learned Gilda's Club would benefit. "[Gilda Radner] a big hero of mine," he said. "I'm just glad to be involved." Werner said the helpline is free and staffed by trained professionals. "It is staffed by trained professionals experienced in supporting individuals impacted by cancer. They are skilled in listening, resource navigation, and compassionate support. Many callers say the Helpline helped them feel heard, informed, and less alone. It often becomes a lifeline during one of the most difficult moments in someone’s life," Werner told PEOPLE. Heath said he would welcome the campaign becoming a lasting part of his song's legacy. "I'd be happy if this was an enduring legacy, and made people smile and give them hope," said Heath, who is hitting the road with a summer tour. "(And yes, he'll perform "867-5309/Jenny.") "I'm pretty proud to be part of it." The campaign was created in partnership with the health marketing agency Klick Health. More information is available at csc8675309.com.

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