Positive News for the Month of March- Cancer Sniffing Dogs, Baby Cheetahs, Super Blooms, and More.
With global and political tension rising, the news is getting serious. But don’t fret- although it might not seem like it, great things are still happening! All the way from cheetah baby booms, Death Valleys super bloom, and to cancer sniffing dogs, positive news is everywhere.
Major increase in Cheetah populations-
While not currently endangered, Cheetahs are considered a vulnerable species with only 7000-7500 remaining in the wild. However, conservationists are always trying their best to preserve these species’ presence in the wild. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conservation attempt, “Project Cheetah”, has significantly increased the birth rate and amount of cheetah cubs on Indian soil. According to Andy Corbley in his goodnewsnetwork.org article, “New Baby Boom for Cheetahs in India After First-in-the-World Reintroduction”, this “baby boom” is led by “A female cheetah named Jwala” (Corbley). More specifically, Andy Corbley states that Jwala the cheetah “has given birth to a litter of 5 cubs, the third since she arrived in the country.” Around 15 cubs might not seem like much, but with a significantly low number of cheetahs in India previously, any cubs surviving makes a difference. This is a huge leap for reintroduction of the Cheetah population to India!
Death Valley covered in bright blooming flowers-
Death Valley is a national park in California, known for its extreme temperatures reaching up to 134 degrees Fahrenheit. Death Valley has a death count of 60 people between 2007-2024. It’s safe to say this valley has earned its name. It doesn’t sound like a good vacation spot, but it could be. Every decade Death Valley takes a break from scorching its victims and becomes full of blooms of wildflowers. Journalist Andy Corbley in his goodnewsnetwork.org article “Once-in-a-Decade Superbloom Carpets Death Valley in Beautiful, Colorful Life”, tells us these super blooms are so rare because, “The National Park Service said that ideally spaced annual rains and gentler wind patterns as winter was giving way to spring allowed flowers the perfect mixture of fuel and calm to bloom” (Corbley). Conditions must be very specific to produce these blooms- which makes them even more rare and beautiful.
Cancer sniffing dogs-
Dogs’ super senses and obedient nature make them perfect for a variety of jobs. Dogs can smell bombs, drugs, bodies, and even tiny chemical changes in the body before medical episodes. But now, that wide umbrella can include cancer. As told in Good News Networks article, “Dog Obsessively Sniffing Mom’s Breath Detected Lung Cancer- Now an E-Nose is Being Trained to Save More Lives”, This amazing ability was discovered when 60-year-old Colleen Ferguson noticed her German Shepherds sudden weird behavior of smelling her breath. According to the article, “Inca would not quit the habit, so the woman from Kent, England, decided to schedule a full body scan, which revealed a “golf ball sized tumor” in her left lung–it was stage one cancer.” This early catch of Colleen Fergusons lung cancer likely saved her life. Furthermore, it can save other lives. The article states, “Clinical trials have proven that dogs can reliably detect diseases including prostate cancer, bladder cancer, Covid-19, and even Parkinson’s—and dogs can be trained to do so.” Nobody likes needles and scans; a dog sniff sounds like the perfect test to me!
Local segment- A step challenge update
As explored in February’s positive news addition, teachers in C Milton are promoting health and active lifestyles through a school wide step challenge. We are here with an update on recent step-stats. I interviewed Mrs. Martinek regarding how it’s going. As of March 9th, Mrs. Martinek and her team have 296,963 steps, which is over 140 miles! Mrs. Martinek adds, “after working all day, the step challenge gives me more motivation to go to the gym and be active.” She also adds “It’s a great way to branch out and meet new people.”
As usual, great things are always happening. The news you see is the news you’re searching for. Look for the good in everything!
Works cited
Corbley, Andy. “New Baby Boom for Cheetahs in India after First-In-The-World Reintroduction.” Good News Network, 10 Mar. 2026, www.goodnewsnetwork.org/female-cheetahs-have-birthed-8-cubs-in-india-this-year-confirming-adaptation-to-new-home/.
Corbley, Andy. “Once-In-a-Decade Superbloom Carpets Death Valley in Beautiful, Colorful Life (LOOK).” Good News Network, 10 Mar. 2026, www.goodnewsnetwork.org/once-in-a-decade-superbloom-carpets-death-valley-in-life-beautiful-colorful-life/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Good News Network. “Dog Obsessively Sniffing Mom’s Breath Detected Lung Cancer–Now an E-Nose Is Being Trained to Save More Lives.” Good News Network, 8 Mar. 2026, www.goodnewsnetwork.org/dog-sniffing-her-breath-detected-lung-cancer-now-an-e-nose-is-trained-to-save-more-lives/
