I've Got Spots! A Story About Vitiligo
Donation protected
Hey y'all!
I've written a children's book called "I've Got Spots!" It's about vitiligo, a condition that causes a person's skin to lose its pigment, which I have.
My first "spots" didn't develop until I was in my late 20's, and it has since spread pretty rapidly across the rest of my body. I’ll be honest, when the first signs of vitiligo showed on my skin, I freaked out. I had no idea what was happening to me, and I felt completely out of control. I would look in the mirror and not recognize the face looking back at me, and everything I read online only frightened me more. Despite having no known causes and not being a life-threatening condition, I kept seeing it referred to as an autoimmune disease, and nearly every article I read was followed by ads on how to "fix" it or cover it up.
I also read that the most common side effects of vitiligo are depression and loss of self-esteem, which I have experienced along my own journey with my spots, and so it occurred to me that maybe what people with vitiligo need isn't just medicine or makeup, maybe we need something that celebrates the uniqueness of our condition in a world obsessed with cosmetic perfection, maybe we need something that makes us feel proud of our bodies and feel included, instead of maybe feeling so alone. I was inspired to make it a children's book because kids have been more interested in what's happening with my spots than anyone, and because the psychological impact of the condition lands hardest on those who get it young. Hopefully, sharing my story will empower anyone who has vitiligo, inform anyone who doesn't, and help everyone feel a little more comfortable in their own skin. After all, we all have something that makes us unique. We all have our own “spots” and it’s time to embrace them.
I'm very excited to be working with a local Chicago artist, Jennifer Ferguson, to bring "I've Got Spots" to life through her illustrations. Jennifer has already created the initial sketches and artwork for the book, and final edits are being made to the manuscript. The money we raise here will be used for the design, printing, and production costs of self-publishing a limited release of "I've Got Spots" with the hopes of eventually finding a publisher to take over future distribution!
Thank you so much for your support!
I've Got Spots Website
I've written a children's book called "I've Got Spots!" It's about vitiligo, a condition that causes a person's skin to lose its pigment, which I have.
My first "spots" didn't develop until I was in my late 20's, and it has since spread pretty rapidly across the rest of my body. I’ll be honest, when the first signs of vitiligo showed on my skin, I freaked out. I had no idea what was happening to me, and I felt completely out of control. I would look in the mirror and not recognize the face looking back at me, and everything I read online only frightened me more. Despite having no known causes and not being a life-threatening condition, I kept seeing it referred to as an autoimmune disease, and nearly every article I read was followed by ads on how to "fix" it or cover it up.
I also read that the most common side effects of vitiligo are depression and loss of self-esteem, which I have experienced along my own journey with my spots, and so it occurred to me that maybe what people with vitiligo need isn't just medicine or makeup, maybe we need something that celebrates the uniqueness of our condition in a world obsessed with cosmetic perfection, maybe we need something that makes us feel proud of our bodies and feel included, instead of maybe feeling so alone. I was inspired to make it a children's book because kids have been more interested in what's happening with my spots than anyone, and because the psychological impact of the condition lands hardest on those who get it young. Hopefully, sharing my story will empower anyone who has vitiligo, inform anyone who doesn't, and help everyone feel a little more comfortable in their own skin. After all, we all have something that makes us unique. We all have our own “spots” and it’s time to embrace them.
I'm very excited to be working with a local Chicago artist, Jennifer Ferguson, to bring "I've Got Spots" to life through her illustrations. Jennifer has already created the initial sketches and artwork for the book, and final edits are being made to the manuscript. The money we raise here will be used for the design, printing, and production costs of self-publishing a limited release of "I've Got Spots" with the hopes of eventually finding a publisher to take over future distribution!
Thank you so much for your support!
I've Got Spots Website
Organizer
Danielle Wheeler
Organizer
Chicago, IL
