Tuesday, November 29, 2016

It's Giving Tuesday!


Today provides you with an opportunity to start the holiday season off on the right foot by donating to CCA this Giving Tuesday. You may have started your Christmas shopping on Black Friday and continued yesterday, on #CyberMonday, but today you can give back!

Today you can give the gift that keeps on giving to CCA families and kids that need your support through programming and trips to quality medical centers and hospitals for treatment of their craniofacial differences. You can also send a family to our Annual Family Retreat & Educational Symposium, where many kids see others that look just like them, for the very first time. It is a very powerful weekend. With your donation, you can make the retreat weekend in Reston, VA in 2017 possible for a family.

Please share with us today the gifts of good health, acceptance, and love. Three things that never go out of style!

Read more about the history of #GivingTuesday here: https://www.givingtuesday.org/
And don't forget to let others know you donated to CCA on social media by using the hashtag #GivingTuesday. 

Thank you! 

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Get Ready For Giving Tuesday



Giving Tuesday, what's that?

It is a day to give thanks and donate to your favorite non-profits as we kick off the holiday season. There's Black Friday, then Cyber Monday... then the universal day to give back, Giving Tuesday. Please participate by donating to CCA via our special donation page located here: http://bit.ly/givetues16

For those of you who are able, please consider a gift of $500 or more, because from now until the end of the year, CCA has received a special Challenge Match Grant, which will match all donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000.

To be honest, individual contributions have been down this year, so this Challenge Match Grant is especially important to help us close our funding gap. We are so grateful for this opportunity and we hope you will help us continue funding our critical work of providing travel assistance for medical travel, the Annual Family Retreat & Educational Symposium, and our website which directs families to qualified medical centers.


Monday, November 21, 2016

Deaf-Friendly Games for Kids Parties




Editor's Note: Daisy Welch of the Wooden Toy Shop located in Lancashire, United Kingdom has some great suggestions for kids party games. The games are perfect for all children, especially those with hearing trouble. What better time for games than now as we gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving and the Winter Holidays. Enjoy!

By Our Friends at the Wooden Toy Shop, Lancashire, United Kingdom

While its natural to worry about all the children feeling included in a kids party, there really is no need to worry if you throwing a party with a deaf child in attendance. There are loads of great games that all children, and quite a few adults, will enjoy. Here are some of our favorite party games and tips for throwing an inclusive children's party. These games are ones you will probably already know, but with fun twists to make them more inclusive and even more fun!

Deaf-friendly games for a childrens party


Thursday, November 17, 2016

Thankful Thursday: Video


By Kara Jackman

There are so many gifts that come along with being different. We experience different points of view, are able to put things in perspective, and perhaps, most importantly, laugh. So today on this Thankful Thursday, I hope these short videos find you grateful and living a life filled with laughter. It is, after all, the best medicine.

A big thank you to the Facing Advocacy Tumblr page for sharing these videos with the world.


Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Francis Smith: Patient, Researcher, and Inspiration



By Kara Jackman

In September, CCA Kids Blog covered one of our members, Emily Paulson, that went from patient to nurse. Francis Smith turned his adversity into positivity, too.  Motivated by his facial difference, Treacher Collins, Smith works as a dental researcher at the University of Colorado. He provides other researchers and doctors with whom he works with the much needed patient perspective. Smith is very inspirational and has a recurring series on our blog called "From the Bench," where he shares he experience and hope with the CCA community.


In October, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus wrote a piece for their online newspaper CU Anschutz Today. Guest contributor, Debra Melani, interviewed Smith about his life, surgeries, strength, and the work that must continue to help benefit future people with genetic disorders.

Smith researches, "bioinformatics and genome analysis of embryonic tissue under the supervision of CU School of Dental Medicine Associate Professor Trevor Williams, PhD." Smith is also an advocate and spokesman for those with craniofacial differences. He has written blogs and spoke in many places around the globe.

Learn more Smith, his work, devoted adopted mother, and perspective on life in the article published on the CU Today website. In case you missed it in a previous blog post, view the video below, too, where Smith discusses Treacher Collins and his work with scientist, Michael Rape, of the University of California, Berkeley.




Thursday, November 10, 2016

Thankful Thursday: Gratitude in the Little Things


Sometimes we all need to look back in order to look forward. I did just that in selecting this quotation originally posted in Fall 2013. 

This month is one that ends with a celebration of Thanksgiving. If you are not feeling grateful right now, know that as the quotation says, it takes "courage" to face difficult events and situations. 

And so, through practice on small things, like a hug from your child, a kiss from the dog, or a hot cup of coffee in the morning, let us try to be grateful for the small elements of our lives that make them worth living. Enough time and focus on the innumerable "little things" will add up, so we may know joy, or at least contentment. 

With the above guidelines in mind, what are you most grateful for this year, this month, this day, this moment? 


Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Boston Researcher Uses Technology to Help Jaw Degeneration



Boston University researcher Pushkar Mehra utilizes 3-D printing and principles of engineering to save the lives of patients with Idiopathic condylar resorption, a condition where the bones in the jaw can degrade and block the ability to breathe.

In the video, you will see a grateful patient that received surgical intervention with the help of Mehra's research. To learn more about the work that Boston University Dental School is doing, follow this link. 


Monday, November 7, 2016

CCA Blog Interviews Fearless Creators, Bradley and Dan


Fearless Creators Dan Gremminger and Bradley Harding create a new set of Holiday Cards for CCA!

Fearless is an inspiring collection of poems and illustrations created for children with craniofacial challenges. Originally published in 2001 by Children’s Craniofacial Association, the small regional release was immediately embraced by children and families affected by facial difference. This 10th anniversary edition has been redesigned for the eBook platform! 

Now the dynamic duo that created this original book for CCA Kids have done it again and created a set of beautiful holiday cards with stories in poetry form that will inspire you and warm your heart, all while spreading the message of acceptance to your friends, families, and colleagues. 

Please preorder a set (or several) today and they will arrive to you in time for holiday card mailing. Keep reading for an exclusive interview with the creators, Dan Gremminger and Bradley Harding.  


CCA: Where are you from?

Bradley: I grew up in Oklahoma City, but I claim New York City (where I lived once about six months).
Dan: A charming small village on the Texas Plains called Weatherford.

CCA: When did you first start drawing and illustrating / writing / creating?

Bradley: I first started creating when I was very little. Some of my earliest memories are making up elaborate stories and acting them out (by myself) in my backyard. I began writing little plays and short stories when I was about 7-years-old.
Dan: I have always drawn, doodled, colored and painted. It was always my special “calling” in school and helped to set me apart from the other kids.
CCA: How did you first learn about CCA?

Bradley: Our wonderful neighbor Judy worked for CCA and knew that my partner and I were creatives. She asked us one day if we knew anyone who had written a children’s book. I told her that we had created one (called What Do You See?) that was almost published, but shelved at the last minute.

CCA: What motivated you to create Fearless?

Bradley: Once we were introduced to the CCA staff and learned about its mission, we felt an instant connection. We were asked if we had any ideas about a children’s book celebrating diversity and facial difference. Right away we had an idea that we thought would be engaging to both kids and their families.

CCA: When did your art turn into more than just a hobby?

Bradley: I think most artists are simply driven to create. Writing was something that I always did. It has always been a part of me. I never thought of it as a hobby, though it was so close to me I also didn’t think of it as a skill for the longest time.
Dan: I’ve enjoyed a life-long connection to creativity. I feel so lucky to have art in my corner, because I always knew what I would pursue career-wise.

CCA: What’s your process like? How long does it take to go from idea to finished product?

Bradley: When I am writing a piece of fiction, sometimes it takes a very long time. I have to have the story (whether it’s a book or film project) already written in my head before I put anything down on paper. And I do still write all my first drafts in long hand in a notebook.
Dan: Sometimes the process can be lightning fast. An idea can pop into my head fully formed and it’s just up to me to bring it to fruition. Other times, the process can be more drawn out. I will sketch and play with various tangents around the subject and bring out solutions in a more organic way.

CCA: Who are some of your favorite illustrators and artists?

Bradley: I love so many children’s authors. Shel Silverstein (whose books of children’s poetry inspired Fearless), Judith Viorst, Ellen Raskin, Roald Dahl, Kate DiCamillo and Maurice Sendak.
Dan: Classic artists like Picasso and Van Gogh inspire me on a continual basis. Contemporary artists like Chuck Close, Gary Bateman and Chris Ware speak to me and lift me up. David Wiesner is my favorite children’s book illustrator.

CCA: What’s your favorite work you’re done? 
Bradley: I think my favorite work in this genre has to be Fearless. The entire process was very touching, very inspiring. Hearing many of the stories about the CCA kids and their journeys were very inspirational.
Dan: My favorite work is usually the most recent piece I’ve completed and right now, that is my painting that just won a Blue Ribbon at this year’s Texas State Fair, my Big Tex painting titled “Howdy Folks.”

CCA: What inspires you?

Bradley: Words and pictures that move me.
Dan: Beauty strikes me in many places: a lovely cloud, the colors of a sunset, the light and shadow on a person’s face or the depth in one’s eyes.

CCA: What other hobbies do you have?

Bradley: I am also an entertainment writer and filmmaker.
Dan: In addition to making short films with Bradley, I love to cook.

CCA: What does a day in your life look like?

Bradley: I am usually at the computer, writing. I work as a copywriter, so I write every day.
Dan: Working with fellow advertising folks to create compelling online and print advertising. Most of my time is spent working on the computer or designing on art pads.

CCA: What does kindness mean to you?

Bradley: It’s making a genuine connection with another person. It’s a selfless, empathetic acknowledgement of acceptance – and solidarity.
Dan: It’s treating others with the love that you would hope they show you in return. It is patience and empathy.

CCA: What’s your motto?

Dan: Because it informs my decision-making process and helps me to appreciate being in the moment, I often remember that “Life is Short.”

CCA: Why did you agree to help out CCA? (We’re so grateful!)

Bradley: Because we are all different and we should celebrate that every day.
Dan: Ditto.

CCA: Name five things on your list of things to do before you die.

Bradley: Make a movie, write another children’s book, make another movie, learn French, meet Claudine Longet
Dan: Make a feature length film with Bradley, create another children’s book with Bradley, visit the active volcano in Hawaii, spend a day in the Louvre, and (fantasy alert!) win an Academy Award.

CCA: Thank you both so much for donating your time, talent, and passion to CCA over the years!


Friday, November 4, 2016

Funny, Inspiring, 'Ride High Pineapple' Is A Great Read

By Kara Jackman 

Interested in an inspirational read for kids and adults? Were you born with a facial difference and faced a bully at school? Then Jenny Woolsey’s Ride High Pineapple just may be the perfect book for you. 

Author, Jenny Woolsey
Woolsey tells the story of Isabella Burgess, a 13 year-old girl that has a secret and bravely decides to share it through a speech she must give about herself in one of her classes. She shares with her fellow students that she has been bullied. She hopes in sharing her personal struggles that the bullying will stop. 

The story is not all doom and gloom. There is lots of joy, excitement, redemption, and the typical pre-teen ups and down, that play out throughout the book. Issy loves to skateboard, even though her Mom worries a lot about her doing so. Her father is supportive of her visits to the skate park. There, she meets friends and falls in love with a boy  who helps her with boarding techniques. 

Issy battles anxiety and depression head on, in a very open and vulnerable way. She has thousands of thoughts about her best friend, Tilly, her face, the bully she faces, and more which she chronicles in her diary. Issy mainly questions Tilly's loyalty when a new, popular girl moves into town. Woolsey does a tremendous job of sharing what it is like to experience Generalized Anxiety Disorder through Issy's diary entries. She is a trustworthy narrator because of her vulnerability and honesty about her thoughts and emotions. 

One day at school, Issy learns that an X-treme sporting event will be held at school. Her teen crush, and friend from the skate park, take part in the three-day clinic held by the professional skaters. One of them is a woman, who takes Issy under her wing, helping to improve her skating skills and confidence  in herself.  She tells Issy that she must think of herself as a pineapple, sweet on the inside, and tough on the outside. If she does that, Issy will be able to accomplish anything she puts her mind to. 

Issy faces additional challenges when she skates in an exhibition competition during an assembly at school, only to fall and break her arm. Will she make it beyond this challenge, too? Will her mother ever let her skate again? Will this mean the end of her friendships? 

You will have to read Ride High Pineapple to find out. 


Author with her children.


About the Author, Jenny Woolsey


Author, Jenny Woolsey is an advocate for facial differences, inclusion, and mental health awareness. She and her children were born with Crouzon’s Syndrome. She says, “Growing up with a a face that was considered a deformity was hard. I was teased daily."

Woolsey realized as a former patient, a current teacher, and advocate for her own children, that a book about someone with a facial difference had not been written. She hopes that the book “raises awareness” and “gives strategies for self-empowerment and self-belief” to those that are bullied about something that they can do very little to change: their appearance.

Children Craniofacial Association supports Woolsey’s mission and message. Erica Mossholder, CCA Executive Director, wrote the book’s foreword. Furthermore, CCA’s logo appears on Ride High Pineapple sealing the story’s approval that is sure to help all people affected by facial difference all over the world.  

Woolsey lives in Australia. You can learn more about her and life as a teacher, blogger, and mother on her website at http://jennywoolsey.com. 

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Giving Tuesday is one month away!



Giving Tuesday, what's that?

It is a day to give thanks and donate to your favorite non-profits as we kick off the holiday season. There's Black Friday, then Cyber Monday... then the universal day to give back, Giving Tuesday. Please participate by donating to CCA via our special donation page located here: http://bit.ly/givetues16

For those of you who are able, please consider a gift of $500 or more, because from now until the end of the year, CCA has received a special Challenge Match Grant, which will match all donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000.

To be honest, individual contributions have been down this year, so this Challenge Match Grant is especially important to help us close our funding gap. We are so grateful for this opportunity and we hope you will help us continue funding our critical work of providing travel assistance for medical travel, the Annual Family Retreat & Educational Symposium, and our website which directs families to qualified medical centers.