So we know water is a problem. Not for us - we flush it down toilets and linger in the shower. It's a problem for almost 1 out of 10 people in the world who don't have access to it. Rather, who don't have access to it CLEAN. People risk their lives and sacrifice their educations just to bring dirty water home where they hand cups of it to their children hoping their next sip won't be their last.

Diseases from dirty water can kill in hours. Your daughter is thirsty and then gone. I cannot even imagine.

The kicker? Our generous planet has enough water. WE HAVE ENOUGH. The problem isn't quantity, it's access. It's either too deep in the ground or just needs to be effectively filtered. Which really sucks, but is also really great news.

--

As you know if you know me, this birthday comes with baggage. Unsure how I'd be able to celebrate it without the woman responsible for it, I considered just skipping it this year. Just... pass me the day-old cake when I wake up from a sedated sleep.

But then I stumbled upon this incredible idea of using your special day to save lives.

I could use my birthday to prevent someone like me having a birthday without *her* mom. Or a mother from losing her child. How just insanely cool would that be?!

So here you are: at my birthday fundraising page and I'm hoping you will be so touched by the stories here as you peruse the website that you'll donate. Because charity:water spends 100% of your money on clean water projects - they'll even send us GPS coordinates so we can check out the exact place our money is going to!

If you know me you also know I truly believe we are all capable of making the world a better place. And look guys! I found one! I found a thing we can do!

I would love it if you'd donate and share this campaign. I'd love it more than any other gift or treat. It would make a birthday I've dreaded into the BEST ONE EVER if we were able to meet this goal and effectively give 30 people (THIRTY PEOPLE!) their birthright. Clean water for everyone!

So in the name of every person who didn't make it to *their* 30th, in the name of my mother whose life baptized so many in the Good Stuff, in the name of We Belong to Each Other, I'm donating my 30th birthday and I am deeply grateful for your help.