This Grandpa With Vitiligo Crochets Dolls For Children With The Same Condition
Grandfathers bring joy and richness into your childhood and are aware of all that goes on in your mind because there is a certain child-like quality in them. Grandpa Joao Stanganelli Jr. of Brazil is no different. And he has a special affinity for children afflicted with a skin condition called vitiligo because he himself is afflicted.
Vitiligo is a condition that causes the skin to change color in blotches. It can affect any part of the body, including hair. It is neither contagious nor life-threatening but can be stressful and hurt the self-esteem of the afflicted person, because we live in a society that lays so much emphasis on physical appearance. It is even more so for children as they are subjected to bullying and shunned by their classmates and friends. And this 64-year-old grandfather from Brazil decided to do something for them.
Joao has been living with this condition for more than 30 years and with age, the patches have become more visible. An unrelated health issue had led to his retirement and he dearly needed to be occupied to stay healthy and active. Along with his wife, Joao took up crocheting and took to it like a duck to water.
Joao found crocheting addicting and as his finger found the rhythm, there was no stopping him. The first creation was a doll for their granddaughter. To make her reconnect him with the doll, he added a few patches to it. That is when he was inspired to make dolls more inclusive.
He began making dolls with disabilities, like dolls in wheelchairs and others with vitiligo patches or with alopecia on their bodies. He wants his creations to inspire children to respect and value the disabled and also to feel normal when facing a special child.
He has found support for his cause and has even started an Instagram and a Facebook page to exhibit his latest creations.
He thinks that the spots are a part of his body and is quite comfortable with it. But what appalls him is the flaws in human character that no one cares about. People have naturally taken to his work. They wrote about how they or their family members had to face humiliation and were shunned by others just for such blemishes in their physical appearance. They were grateful for these creations and are all praises for this thoughtful grandpa.