Six year old Miah was understandably nervous, apprehensive. It was hard enough to wear leg braces to school every day, but talk about it? Maybe that was a bit too much…
Not with the help of her family! Older sister Erin, who also lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth, pitched in along with mom, Monica Hughes. With a polished powerpoint show that included pictures and videos, plus doughnuts at the end, Miah’s classmates were engaged and ready to understand!
Miah used the children’s books Arlene On the Scene and Arlene, the Rebel Queen, published by the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation, to launch a discussion of what it’s like to live with CMT. Not only do these books offer an identifiable heroine for kids growing up with CMT, they help all children understand and empathize with their classmates who live with the disease. Teachers have found the books incredibly useful in the classroom to foster a greater understanding of disability and difference in general.
We salute you Miah and Erin, building awareness of Charcot-Marie-Tooth, one classroom at a time!
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