Awareness

Today is the Day of Awareness for the Vascular Birthmark Foundation. This is a wonderful organization that provides support, advice, and a community for everyone affected by a vascular birthmark. Next year, I am hoping to get something organized to help raise awareness and money for the VBF. This year,  we are reading.

Around the world today, teachers and children are participating in the Buddy Booby's Birthmark Read-A-Long. "Buddy Booby's Birthmark" is a wonderful story written by  Donna and Evan Ducker, who has a port wine stain. It encourages tolerance and acceptance, and really struck a cord when we were given the book last year. Truthfully, it took a few times before I could get through it without crying, but now it has an honored place in our library. I've also been lucky enough to connect with Donna via Facebook, and hope to meet her and Evan one day soon.

Chloe read the story to Addy this morning, and took the book to school. We tried to organize Chloe reading it to one of the younger classes, but it fell through. Luckily it is another cold, rainy day in New England, so Chloe decided she would read the book during indoor recess. Please get this book, and add it to your library. The message is important for all children, and not just specific to birthmarks - be nice to others, embrace differences, love who you are.

Addy has almost fully healed from the last laser treatment. Even so, when we did errands this weekend, we were still asked if she had "fallen on her face". Sometimes I wish Addy's birthmark was more obviously a birthmark, and looked less like a bruise, because it does get exhausting to constantly feel like we're explaining it. I get so tempted to say something nasty when people ask - I know that they don't know that they are the hundredth person to exclaim, "Oh, no! Did you fall down?" But on this Day of Awareness, please be aware of how frustrating your comments can be - and realize how much warmly I'm going to respond if you say "wow, can you tell me about it?" (seriously, even if you don't care, really) other than the typical, "OH. I am SOO sorry" (to which I force myself to swallow my nasty oh yeah what are you sorry for? Sorry you asked? Sorry she has a birthmark? Because I'm not.  response.) And again, not just birthmarks - anything that may make a child different, makes them special. Be aware of, and embrace the differences that make us unique.

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We did get some sunshine, and we soaked it in. Every day on the forecast has a raindrop, so we'll probably be Vitamin D deficient when June rolls around. Please, let June bring sun. Daily sunshine.