2022 Annual Appeal Inside

Thank you all for a great year. We are pleased to present our Annual appeal featuring, Erin Richmond and her family. We hope you read this version or the copy that you received in your mailbox, and can help us bring the magic of CCA to current and future families in 2023.  Please donate on our website to keep our networking, programming, and financial assistance program going strong. Happy Holidays and may you all have a fantastic new year. 

#GivingTuesday 2022: What is it and why do we give?

 

Giving Tuesday is just a day away. My heart seems to grow six times its size when I see many of our families hosting Facebook fundraisers and sharing a bit about why they donate to Children's Craniofacial Association. And who am I kidding, I also love reading reflections by people hosting Facebook funders for other nonprofits that positively impacted their lives. This tradition that began in 2012 galvanized many to give consistently to nonprofits and NGOs around the world each year. 

The effort began at New York City's  92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact. In just 10 years, #GivingTuesday became, "an independent nonprofit and a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity." Their focus for the next 10 years is on radical generosity, hoping we can snuff out suffering through a movement of giving freely to support our communities. 

Ten years ago, when I first read about #GivingTuesday while on the board of another nonprofit, I thought, "Well great! Three days of sin followed by a single day of atonement. One day to support the work we do all year long?" This didn't seem fair in my Catholic mind. It wasn't enough. As the years wore on more and more nonprofits joined the campaign of giving, and what it lacked in the number of days devoted to the cause, GivingTuesday gained with an increase in participation by a rising tide of nonprofits. 

In the world of fundraising high participation is everything. What makes people participate?  Yes, I think offsetting the holiday splurging on our loved ones, and let's face it, ourselves (the deals are just too good!). But it's more... Giving Tuesday is about honoring the impact that these nonprofits have on our lives. An organization like CCA Kids, can take a family or individual from the depths of despair back to a state of hope, wonder, and possibility. Life-giving, life-returning, life-altering narratives flow throughout our community each told by a grateful heart. 

• A trip to a medical center that will help solve the riddles of a medically complex child. 

• A care package sent after the mid-face surgery (the big one for many of our kids). 

• A virtual program that helped support someone's mental health during a particularly difficult time. 

• Or perhaps, a scholarship to our Annual Retreat for a family to be in community with people with shared life experiences

Hope takes many different forms. It's easy to see why so many feel hope is in the realm of the divine. 

Reading about these powerful experiences on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on other social media platforms is heartening as we all take stock of the year that was 2022. For the staff, board members, volunteers, all charged with carrying forward CCA's mission, we recognize through your photos and stories that we have done our jobs. For members of the CCA Kids community, we cheer each other on and honor one another by starting a Facebook fundraiser, hosting an event, or putting out a jar at our place of work to accept small donations to make sure the hand of CCA is there for the next person in need. For we know all too well that the next person in need could be us or someone we care deeply for in our tight-knit community. 

Do what you can with what you have available to you. As people with facial differences, we improvise in our daily lives with that adage in mind. Don't feel obligated to donate a lump sum of money. Instead, let's keep spreading the word about #GivingTuesday. Even after 10 years of service to a world of nonprofits, someone you know and love may not know about this day to give back to those whom keep us whole and filled with hope. 

Donate today to our community Facebook fundraiser or start your own on Facebook. All donations are processed with no additional fees. All profits go to Children's Craniofacial Association. 

Packing the Hospital Bag: 6 Tips for Dads

 

Editor's Note: Today we have a guest post from Josh Moore of Diaperdads.org. He has some helpful suggestions on what to pack when you go to the hospital. Please also see our overviews for other ideas to help you prepare for an upcoming hospital stay.

By Josh Moore

Your wife is due to give birth in a month or so, and you want to make sure that you’re both prepared for your hospital stay. Dads can pitch in when it comes to packing the hospital bags! You can find lots of helpful packing tips - and parenting advice - from the Children’s Craniofacial Association. Here are a few suggestions to get you started, from essential devices to clothing for mom and baby!

Tech Devices and Chargers

Don’t forget your tech devices at home! Make sure to pack a tablet in the hospital bag. Tablets are affordable, and since they have large screens, you can easily use them to video chat with family members who live far away! Plus, you’ll be able to browse the internet, answer emails, and handle other simple computer tasks.

Of course, you’ll also want to pack your phones and long charger cords. Furthermore, if you know that you’ll need to wrap up some work while your wife is at the hospital, bring your laptop and charger, too.

Paperwork

You’ll need lots of paperwork when you get to the hospital. The Planning Mom states that you’ll have to pack a photo ID and health insurance card, hospital registration paperwork, any relevant health insurance documents, your wife’s birth plan, and paperwork for your child’s new pediatrician. Check in with your wife’s OB/GYN to see if you need any additional documents.

Clothing

Your wife will need clothing for her due date, such as a gown or robe that she is willing to get rid of after giving birth. The hospital will not provide maternity clothes, so make sure to pack postpartum cotton panties, nursing bras, slipper socks, pajamas, basic t-shirts, and loose pants. You will also want to bring onesies for your baby.

Toiletries

After giving birth, your wife will need lots of postpartum toiletry products. It’s important to stock up on these well ahead of her due date and bring the necessary items to the hospital to keep her feeling clean and comfortable. Very Well Family states that you’ll want to invest in maternity pads, mesh underwear, chux pads, a squirt bottle, gauze, and nipple cream. Your wife’s OB/GYN will undoubtedly have more suggestions for hygiene products!

Entertainment

You might assume that once your wife begins having contractions, the baby will arrive shortly - but labor can take quite a while! New parents are often waiting in the hospital for quite a while until they can finally welcome their baby. Therefore, you should bring a few items for entertainment, like a good book or a journal, so that you can remember this moment.

Snacks

Some women are able to eat while in labor, while others cannot. However, it’s a good idea to pack a few snacks in your hospital bag anyway. While the hospital will have vending machines and a cafeteria, their offerings might be pricey, and depending on your wife’s dietary preferences, they may not have options that she likes. Your wife will be able to have breath mints and lozenges, so keep some of these on hand. Furthermore, you can pack snacks like granola bars, muffins, trail mix, nuts, applesauce pouches, and fresh or dried fruit.

By packing up a hospital bag for your wife ahead of time, you can ensure that you’re both ready to head out the door when she goes into labor. She’ll be grateful to have your help with this task! From tech devices you can’t forget to fun entertainment options, you can follow these tips to guide the packing process.

Are you seeking advice on raising children with craniofacial conditions? Turn to the Children’s Craniofacial Association! Browse our blog today to find the answers to your biggest questions.

Photo via Pexels

Writing Prompts From The Mighty To Reflect On Your Year

 

[?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mental%20Health%20Newsletter%20-%20November%2011,%202022&utm_source=cordial] 👋 from Mighty staffer Nina Because sometimes you just need to write something down. The end of the year is fast approaching and one word I would use to describe what this year was like for me is… full. Full of positive and new experiences, growth, changes, and progress; but also full of challenging experiences, grief, yearning, and loss. Getting to know myself in those experiences has definitely shaken up my self-awareness, but I made it to this point and I can't help but be proud of myself for that. One thing I've noticed about having bigger experiences this year is the need for me to write things down. It's easy for big emotions and ideas to just float around in my head and slowly spiral into something huge. For me, my pen and a blank piece of paper have saved me from that spiral time and time again. If you want to reflect about your year with me, here are some reflection prompts and activities we can write about together: What emotions are you feeling the most today? How are you navigating those feelings? What experiences would you say set the tone for the year? What memories float to the top? What are three things you want to do before the year is up? Happy writing, Nina, from The Mighty

#CAM2022 Craniofacial Acceptance Month Press Release: Share With Your Local Media Outlets

DALLAS, TX – Children's Craniofacial Association celebrates its 18th Annual Craniofacial Acceptance Month this September! We hope the public takes note of this very important month. This year, our theme is “I Am Enough,” which we hope raises awareness about the universal need for self-acceptance and embracing our own differences. This is important to us because we represent and serve children and adults who often face discrimination or are stigmatized because of their facial differences. “I Am Enough” asserts our belief that we do not have to change or alter our appearance to accept who we are, nor our rightful place in society.

CCA hopes that you can help our kids spread these messages to a wider audience. From the playground to the airwaves, we believe that sharing the story behind our differences is the first step toward acceptance and building empathy for one another, allowing us to own the narrative around our visible differences.

We believe that facial equality is a human rights issue, akin to protecting the rights of people of all races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, veteran statuses, and disabilities. We hope to accomplish this by embracing the concept, written by one of our parents, Stephanie Cooper, that “more shares mean fewer stares.” To that end, please help us this month by setting aside a segment on your local radio or television news program for a story about a local child or adult with a facial difference. We can help connect you with a CCA kid near you! If you’ve ever been bullied or teased, you can find an empathetic friend and support network via CCA Kids.

***

About Our Organization: Children's Craniofacial Association, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Dallas, Texas, and founded in 1989. We serve over 20,000 families per year and an additional 10,000 unaffected students in schools across the country. CCA's mission is empowering and giving hope to individuals and families affected by facial differences. CCA envisions a world where all people are accepted for who they are, not how they look. To request our free educational curriculum, free books for students, and additional resources, visit http://www.ccakids.org.

Workshop Alert: Parent & Caregiving Coaching From Professionals Within Our CCA Family

 

CCA is proud that members of our community are educating other parents and caregivers! Check out these three events coming up soon presented by professionals that are members of the CCA Community.

(*Note these events are not hosted by CCA.)

Aug. 25: “Mindset Shift for Special Needs Parents – Learn how to overcome fear, worry, caregiver burnout and how to deal with uncertainty.”

Facilitated by Ludivine Tandazo, email questions to [email protected]

Free; Registration Required: registration link.

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Aug. 27: Wellness Workshop for Parents and Caregivers, facilitated by Vanessa Acero

$60; Registration Required: email [email protected]

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Ongoing Parent Support Group,  Second & Fourth Saturdays of each month, facilitate by Vanessa Acero

$35/session; Registration Required: email [email protected]

Advice for Passing on the Value of Self-Care to Your Children

            

 

By Jenna Sherman

 

The pace at which we tackle life nowadays is showing no signs of slowing down. And this is certainly no different for our children. That's why it's so important to pass on the value of self-care to our children, in the hopes that they would always put their mental and physical health first in a world that is non-stop busy. Writer and Mom, Jenna Sherman, on behalf of Children’s Craniofacial Association shares a few things you can encourage them to do to feel better when things start to feel overwhelming.

Teach Them Healthy Life Skills

 

While this may seem more like common sense than practical life lessons, teaching your kids the basics of taking care of themselves from hygiene to eating healthily to taking pride in their appearance, you're empowering them to take control of their lives. As far as self-care goes, these are the fundamental skills they will need to grow up healthy and happy.
 
This all starts at home, so be sure you’re doing all you can to make your living space conducive to a warm and welcoming environment. Signs that negativity has made its home in your own home include excessive complaining and family members playing the blame game. Take a few simple measures to replace the negative vibes with positive ones, such as decluttering, doing a deep clean throughout the house, and even using an oil diffuser emitted calming aromas like lavender. 

Talking through their feelings with them

 

One of the ways in which you can instill the importance of self-care in your children is to encourage them to open up about their feelings even at a young age. Moreover, Educational Playcare notes that talking through their emotions with you or another trusted adult can teach them invaluable skills about how to manage their feelings and come to terms with what they are feeling so that they learn how to react appropriately and in a healthy manner.

Motivate Them To Exercise 

 

Exercise plays a critical role in our overall health and is a vital element of self-care no matter your age. For growing children, exercise is essential not only for their physical health but for their mental health too. Furthermore, if you want to encourage them to exercise more, then why not consider finding an exercise regime that you do together, even if it's just a daily walk or jog in your neighborhood? This is part of prioritizing your relationship with your kids by carving out time to build new experiences and memories. 

Practice The Art Of Gratitude 

 

There is so much competition and comparison nowadays that children are feeling more pressure than ever to live up to a certain perceived standard. This could inevitably lead to feelings of frustration and disappointment when they feel that they don't quite measure up to society's standards. In this instance, Mindfulmazing points out that teaching them how to be grateful in every circumstance could be the saving grace they need to face tough situations with a positive and optimistic attitude. 

Let Them Participate In A obby

 

Suppose your child is going through a particularly difficult and challenging time, and you can see they would benefit from some form of therapeutic outlet. Then encouraging them to participate in the arts, whether it's music, painting, or dance, can help alleviate any stress or negative emotions they may be feeling. 

Leading By Example 

 

As parents, we know that our children tend to emulate our behavior (whether positive or negative) because we are their role models. Therefore, if you want the message of self-care to ring true, then we should be living out this message for them to see. For example, if you are a parent that works from home, and you feel more stressed out than put together even on your best day, then you might need to consider putting some rules and boundaries in place so that everyone knows what is expected of them to create more cohesion within the household (which should hopefully lessen any stress and tension in the atmosphere). 
 
In summary, self-care is important for everyone but is perhaps even more so important for impressionable young minds looking for guidance to help them navigate the growing years better. Therefore, it is up to us as parents to help them recognize why they need to prioritize their wellbeing and lead them in the way they should go so that they are better equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead. 

 

Image via Pexels

 

The Children’s Craniofacial Association empowers and gives hope to individuals and families affected by facial differences. Reach out today for more information! 800.535.3643

#ThankfulThursday: #CCARetreat2022 Gold Level Sponsors

CCA's Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium is happening live and in person again this year. We will all descend on Dallas Texas' Sheraton Dallas on Olive Street after two years of virtual retreats. The retreats provides a fine opportunity to meet others in the craniofacial community that face the same challenges. There will be events, educational sessions, and loads of fun to be had by all. 

 The retreat is not possible without the help of our sponsors. This week we would like to thank our gold level sponsors. International Craniofacial Institute and MED-EL generously donated to make this Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium a reality. 

#ThankfulThursday: CCARetreat2022 Bronze Level Sponsors

CCA's Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium is happening live and in person again this year. We will all descend on Dallas Texas' Sheraton Dallas on Olive Street after two years of virtual retreats. The retreats provides a fine opportunity to meet others in the craniofacial community that face the same challenges. There will be events, educational sessions, and loads of fun to be had by all.

The retreat is not possible without the help of our sponsors. This week we would like to thank our bronze level sponsors, KLS Martin, Children's Dallas, Nationwide Children's Hospital for generously donating to make the 2022 Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium a reality. 

All three will be on site with us in Dallas. Please be sure to stop by, thank them, and collect a passport sticker from them. You will be entered in win 1 of three gift cards. 

#ThankfulThursday: We Are Grateful For Our Nonprofit Level, ConnectMed and FACES

 

CCA's Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium is happening live and in person again this year. We will all descend on Dallas Texas' Sheraton Dallas on Olive Street after two years of virtual retreats. The retreats provides a fine opportunity to meet others in the craniofacial community that face the same challenges. There will be events, educational sessions, and loads of fun to be had by all. 

The retreat is not possible without the help of our sponsors. This week we would like to thank our nonprofit sponsors. ConnectMed and FACES generously donated to make this Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium a reality. 

#ThankfulThursday: We Are Grateful For Our Scholarship Level Sponsors

 

CCA's Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium is happening live and in person again this year. We will all descend on Dallas Texas' Sheraton Dallas on Olive Street after two years of virtual retreats. The retreats provides a fine opportunity to meet others in the craniofacial community that face the same challenges. There will be events, educational sessions, and loads of fun to be had by all. 

The retreat is not possible without the help of our sponsors. This week we would like to thank our scholarship. Foundation for Faces of Children and SmileTrain will send families to retreat thanks to their support