Every time you ‘like’ and share this post or watch this video, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per social action), up to $350,000, via the Global Moms Relay, to help improve the health and well-being of families worldwide in support of [email protected], Girl Up, Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Nothing But Nets. More below!
Growing up surrounded by a menagerie of cats, dogs, bantams, horses, and rescued wildlife, I learned to love our beautiful environment and how we must strive to preserve it. As a child, I happily spent all day riding ponies through the gorgeous countryside of rural Herefordshire, England. That sense of freedom was (and still is) one of the things that fueled my happiness. In order for future generations to have the same freedom to enjoy our wild places, we must make sure that we take care of our planet.
Jane with George, her wire-haired Dachshund.
I also grew up in a loving family that emphasized education and greatly influenced who I am today. My mother was a lecturer and my father was an engineer. I was taught from a very young age that I could be whoever I wanted to be, I was encouraged to pursue my dreams and believe in my potential. My mother helped me realize that it is possible to have a family and a career – she was my true role model.
The company I work for, Janssen, plays a key role in ensuring I have a good work-home balance, making sure I have the time to go to my children’s graduations, organize their birthday parties, and support them now in their early working lives. They understand that family is what matters to me the most. I feel incredibly lucky to have such a supportive network of family and colleagues.
What I wish every child, everywhere, could achieve is good health, happiness, a loving family and friends, an education, and a bright future in a peaceful and sustainable world. I wish all kids had the opportunity to learn and appreciate what is important in life, and not to let the digital world be a substitute for real friendships and experiences. I want them to have the chance I had to fulfill their true potential and be the best they want to, and can, be. These are the things I want for every child; it’s no less than what I wish for my own children.
Watch: Meet Jane Griffiths and hear her story for the Global Moms Relay.
One of the things I’ve appreciated in my childhood and in my career is the freedom to operate, whether it’s as a child to go outside and explore, or in the workplace to innovate and do something better for society. With that freedom, I wish for every child, the chance to seize the day. Carpe Diem!
Lead photo of refugee children at the Centre Tenda Di Abramo of the Community of Sant’Egidio. Photograph courtesy UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
You share, they give: Each time you ‘like’ or share this post via the social media icons on this post, watch this video or comment below, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per action) up to $350,000 to [email protected], Girl Up, Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Nothing But Nets.
The Global Moms Relay was created by the United Nations Foundation and Johnson & Johnson with support from BabyCenter, Global Citizen, Fatherly and Charity Miles, to help improve the lives of families around the globe. Share this post with the hashtags #GlobalMom and #JNJ, and visit GlobalMomsRelay.org to learn more.
You can also use the Donate A Photo* app and Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 when you upload a photo for Girl Up, U.S. Fund for UNICEF or Nothing But Nets, up to $150,000. You can help make a difference in seconds with the click of your mouse or snap of your smart phone.
* via the Donate A Photo app for iOS and Android. Johnson & Johnson has curated a list of trusted causes, and you can donate a photo to one cause, once a day. Each cause will appear in the app until it reaches its goal, or the donation period ends. If the goal isn’t reached, the cause will still get a minimum donation.