My Nieces RULE!!!!!

**Jodi** · 01-05-2011, 05:32 PM

Salem sisters work to 'cure ignorance' » New Hampshire » EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA

January 5, 2011
Salem sisters work to 'cure ignorance'

By Jillian Jorgensen jjorgensen@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Wed Jan 05, 2011, 12:16 AM EST

SALEM — Kalli Roy's two older sisters have American Girl dolls customized to look just like them. But getting one for Kalli is more difficult than picking out the right facial details from the doll catalog.

Kalli, 4, has albinism, an inherited genetic condition that means she has little or no pigment in her eyes, skin or hair. Her eyes appear violet and her vision is impaired, but that didn't stop her from sprinting around her house one recent evening.

Her sisters, Kaila, 10, and Kiana, 8, got the idea to ask the American Girl company to make a doll that looks like their sister. But their request isn't just so their sister could have a familiar toy.

They want "to cure ignorance," Kaila said.

The dolls come with books telling the tales of pre-teens from various points in history through the modern day. The girls hope a "Kalli Frances" doll and book would educate those who sometimes stare at Kalli or make mean comments.

At a summer camp, Kiana and Kaila were playing with a boy they had just met. They asked if he wanted to play with their sister, too.

"He said, 'No, she's a freak. She doesn't look like us. We can't play with her,'" Kiana said.

"Did I cry?" Kalli asked, from the other side of the table.

Kiana told Kalli she didn't cry, because she hadn't heard the exchange.

"What do you say when people stare at you or say bad things?" the girls' mother, Tricia, asked Kalli.

"I'm fabulous," Kalli replied.

The girls decided to contact American Girl on their own, Tricia Roy said, and the company urged them to send in a letter about their little sister. But Kaila and Kiana had bigger ideas.

"We didn't want to just send in two or three letters from the family," Kiana said.

So, the two of them approached their principal at Lancaster School to see if they could ask fellow students to write letters. The school went above and beyond, Tricia Roy said, bringing in guidance counselors to talk to each class about albinism and then letting students write letters to the company during lunch. Kalli went to the school that day to answer questions from students.

"We had over 40 letters from the school and staff," Kiana said.

Tricia Roy also posted the girl's mission on Facebook and message boards for people with albinism, their families and friends. She has received letters from people nationwide and even outside the country.

"Everyone stares at Kalli and if we make an American Girl doll, it'll help them answer the questions that they're too afraid to ask because they think they're too personal," Kiana said.

But the doll could help people understand that Kalli is, with some slight help, able to live like any other 4-year-old. She uses a walking stick, and has to wear sunblock and sunglasses whenever she's outside.

But she goes to the beach with the help of a full-body bathing suit and a sun hat, and can run throughout her own home because she's memorized where everything is.

"She's smart as a whip and runs through life like any 4-year-old," Tricia Roy said.

She dances and is learning gymnastics from Kiana. She also is learning to play the piano.

"She played "Jingle Bells" in the Christmas recital," Roy said.

Just seconds later, Kalli was gone in a bright blur and "Jingle Bells" was coming from the piano a few rooms over. That's the Kalli her sisters want people to know — a girl who can do just about anything and is fun to be around, rather than some of the preconceived notions about albinism.

"All the movies that have a person with albinism, they show them being evil," Kaila said.

And for Kalli, who uses the term "sunglass kid" rather than albino to describe herself, the idea of having a doll like her is a pretty great one.

As her mother asked what a Kalli Frances doll would come with, Kalli ticked off some of her own accessories: a bright yellow dress, sunglasses, a walking stick, "a bathing suit like mine and beach socks."

Father Dave said his daughters are like second mothers.

"What's really nice is they include her in everything," he said.

And their mother has already told the girls it isn't about the end result. Even if the doll never gets made, they've already raised awareness in their school and in their community, among the people Kalli will know as she grows up.

That will help make Kalli's interactions with people easier, Tricia Roy said, even if it doesn't completely cure ignorance as they've hoped.

"What they're asking for from the world, I don't know if it'll ever really happen," Tricia Roy said. "But just knowing they think it's possible is enough for me."

Letters in support of the doll can be e-mailed to vote4kalli@gmail.com.

**DOMS** · 01-05-2011, 05:39 PM

Who the heck would pick on her (besides bratty kids)? She's a doll. Plus, I'm willing to bet that there are a lot of full grown women who would kill for those eyes. Absolutely gorgeous!

**vortrit** · 01-05-2011, 05:40 PM

That did take awhile to plow through, but it was definitely worth the read. There is a woman in the town I live in who is in a wheelchair and wrote Mattel about a wheelchair Barbie Doll, and they eventually started making it. They have since quite making it though, for some reason.

**SFW** · 01-05-2011, 05:42 PM

Is she an albino?

**Jodi** · 01-05-2011, 05:47 PM

Yes, she is and she's a beauty!!

I'm so proud of them. They are so happy to be receiving letters worldwide about this!!

**Jodi** · 01-05-2011, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Who the heck would pick on her (besides bratty kids)? She's a doll. Plus, I'm willing to bet that there are a lot of full grown women who would kill for those eyes. Absolutely gorgeous!

I know it makes me sick how mean kids can be. She's normal as any other child except her skin is extremely pale and her hair is white. She's one of the smartest 4 year old I've ever seen and one of the prettiest!!

**Jodi** · 01-05-2011, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by vortrit

That did take awhile to plow through, but it was definitely worth the read. There is a woman in the town I live in who is in a wheelchair and wrote Mattel about a wheelchair Barbie Doll, and they eventually started making it. They have since quite making it though, for some reason.

That's awesome! I hope they can convince American Girl Doll to create a doll. These dolls are the hottest girl toys right now and it would be so great to do one for my niece!

**Jodi** · 01-05-2011, 06:23 PM

Well, there story made the Boston news on CBS!

There is a video in this link! Made me cry its so sweet!

NH Sisters Want Albino American Girl Doll « CBS Boston – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and Boston's Best

**PreMier** · 01-05-2011, 08:55 PM

beautiful little girl.

**SFW** · 01-05-2011, 09:46 PM

yeah shes a cutie.

**Dark Geared God** · 01-05-2011, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Who the heck would pick on her (besides bratty kids)? She's a doll. Plus, I'm willing to bet that there are a lot of full grown women who would kill for those eyes. Absolutely gorgeous!

Agree. plus their is no cure . it happens in high school everyone gets suck up into it

**vortrit** · 01-06-2011, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by Jodi

Well, there story made the Boston news on CBS!

There is a video in this link! Made me cry its so sweet!

NH Sisters Want Albino American Girl Doll « CBS Boston – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and Boston's Best

Very cool. Going to read it now.

**Big Smoothy** · 01-06-2011, 08:13 AM

Jodi,

Great story!

We need more positive stories like these!

**tucker01** · 01-06-2011, 08:19 AM

Very cool

You and your family must be very proud.

**Jodi** · 01-06-2011, 10:47 AM

We are very proud

I agree on more stories like this. It's inspiring.

**klc9100** · 01-06-2011, 11:09 AM

i think they're beautiful.

**bio-chem** · 01-06-2011, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Who the heck would pick on her (besides bratty kids)? She's a doll. Plus, I'm willing to bet that there are a lot of full grown women who would kill for those eyes. Absolutely gorgeous!

calm down there tiger.

**Doublebase** · 01-06-2011, 11:16 AM

I just saw an MTV "True Life" on Albinism. Very good documentary. One of the kids on there got a scholarship to play football. I didn't know that they had sight problems until I saw that.

**soxmuscle** · 01-06-2011, 01:20 PM

Wow, Jodi.

This is incredibly admirable, bold and inspirational.

I'll be posting this on my Facebook for thousands of people to see/read.

Oh, the wonders of social networking...

**Jodi** · 01-07-2011, 11:50 AM

We have been receiving such great support from friends and the community. Thank you everyone who has been linking this to your facebook!!

**Gena Marie** · 01-07-2011, 11:54 AM

Super cute girls, and look at those lashes, beautiful

**Jodi** · 01-07-2011, 01:32 PM

Here is the letter I wrote to support my nieces.

Dear American Girl,

Kalli is a beautiful girl inside and out. She was born with albinism. Albinism is not understood and often looked at as feared disorder. A special doll featuring albinism has the potential of offering the world a learning tool and could help children and adults no longer fear this disorder. Many movies like Matrix, Star Wars, and even a children’s story, Princess Bride portray albinos as evil characters. Their characteristics are different and they do require special needs such as protection from the sun and light so they don’t burn or their eyes don’t hurt. Hollywood has tarnished and given a false interpretation of this disorder. It would be so great, for a change, if a company could step up to the plate and show that albinos shouldn’t be feared and that they are just like everyone else.

**maniclion** · 01-07-2011, 01:52 PM

Is it lack of cones and rods or too much light getting through her eye that makes her vision poor? Do they have contacts to help with this? I know it would be a crime to hide those gorgeous eyes but for the benefit of her seeing.

My blonde hair used to get almost as white when I was a kid, some old ladies were like "OHHH, look at the little tow-head.." what I heard was "Look at the Toe Head", I was furious these old bitties were calling me a toe-head, like I had a mishapened skull or something until my dad explained it's meaning. But it felt awful thinking I was picked out of a crowd and made fun of. After that I never made fun of nor drew attention to an odder looking person in a crowd(where they could see or hear)....I say odder cause most of us humans look pretty odd....

**Jodi** · 01-07-2011, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by maniclion

Is it lack of cones and rods or too much light getting through her eye that makes her vision poor? Do they have contacts to help with this? I know it would be a crime to hide those gorgeous eyes but for the benefit of her seeing.

My blonde hair used to get almost as white when I was a kid, some old ladies were like "OHHH, look at the little tow-head.." what I heard was "Look at the Toe Head", I was furious these old bitties were calling me a toe-head, like I had a mishapened skull or something until my dad explained it's meaning. But it felt awful thinking I was picked out of a crowd and made fun of. After that I never made fun of nor drew attention to an odder looking person in a crowd(where they could see or hear)....I say odder cause most of us humans look pretty odd....

It's actually the lack of pigmentation which is why their skin is pale and their hair is pure white. People with albinism have little or no pigment in their eyes, skin, or hair. They have inherited altered genes that do not make the usual amounts of a pigment melanin. Vision problems in albinism result from abnormal development of the retina and abnormal patterns of nerve connections between the eye and the brain. This is why their eyes appear red or violet because you are actually seeing the muscle in the back of the eye. People with albinism always have problems with vision (not correctable with eyeglasses) and many have low vision.

It's so unfair how people pick on others, especially children, for 'looking different'. I'm sorry to hear what you went through as a child. At least something good came out of it

**Jodi** · 01-07-2011, 02:15 PM

American Girl For Albinism | Facebook

If anyone is interested.

**Dark Geared God** · 01-07-2011, 02:39 PM

Oh and i rule just saying

**vortrit** · 01-07-2011, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Jodi

American Girl For Albinism | Facebook

If anyone is interested.

Cool. Thanks for the link.

**Jodi** · 01-09-2011, 04:49 PM

**Gena Marie** · 01-09-2011, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Jodi

OMG, that was awesome. It made my eyes sweat. Good luck with your cause. If you have a fund raising page, please let us know. I love supporting amazing causes like this one.

Thread: My Nieces RULE!!!!!

Thread Tools

Display

My Nieces RULE!!!!!

Similar Threads

The Rule of 3

New Rule

CFA rule changes

I Rule!!!

New Rule

Posting Permissions