Grandpa with vitiligo crocheting dolls to boost the confidence of children with same condition
Vitiligo is a condition where white patches develop on areas of the skin which are commonly on the neck, face, and hands of the affected person. It is a long-term condition and it’s known to be harmless, however, it has a psychological effect on the person who has it.
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João Stanganelli Junior knows exactly how it feels to have vitiligo because he has the condition himself. Just like the tens of millions of people who are suffering from it, vitiligo has also affected Stanganelli’s self-confidence.
However, he decided not to be taken over by his condition. He didn’t let vitiligo get the best of him, so he turned his weakness into his strength.
Stanganelli, the 64-year-old grandpa from Brazil started to crochet dolls that represent people who have vitiligo.
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How can a doll represent a person with such a condition? Simple! Stanganelli’s doll creations also have white patches on their skins and his dolls are usually kids since children are more prone to it. The concerned vitiligo sufferer himself was actually more concerned about how it’s affecting the youngsters because they might think that something’s wrong with them since they look different.
Together with his wife, Stanganelli would crochet dolls with white patches. By the use of his doll creations, he would like people with vitiligo, especially children, to still feel good about themselves despite their condition.
He doesn’t want them to feel like there is something “wrong” with them or they are “different” because of the white patches on their skin.
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“At first, my fingers and back hurt a lot, today no more,” Stanganelli said. “I’m not yet retired, I still keep up my old work with food, but much less intensely. At the moment, I spend 90% of my time with dolls. I have many orders.”
Empowering form of exercise.
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According to the senior doll-maker, making these beautiful dolls is truly addictive, relaxing, and fulfilling, all at the same time. For him, it’s a rewarding experience to be able to inspire and make the children happy despite their condition.
Going back to the first ever doll that he made, it was for her dear granddaughter – a creation that will always remind her of him. He made a doll with white patches all over its skin just like him and that’s when the idea of crocheting dolls started.
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Fueled by his good cause, Stanganelli began creating more dolls with distinctive features such as dolls in wheelchairs. He wanted his dolls to become not just throw-away toys but more like a representation of someone, especially those who have health conditions.
In the cruel world that we live in today, we need more kind people like Stanganelli.
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Needless to say, Stanganelli’s wonderful creations brought joy and most importantly self-esteem to countless children with vitiligo. Finally, they have something to look at and reflect on whenever they feel like they don’t belong to society because of how they look like.
“My view of vitiligo seems to me to be very different from the general, I think it is necessary first that you have vitiligo, after this acceptance, you choose what you want to do,” Stanganelli said. “I still quote Benjamin Disraeli: ‘Life is too short to be small.”
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Whatever your condition might be, always remember that you are special and that you are still a part of this beautiful world. Thanks to Stanganelli, more and more people, particularly children are gaining their confidence back because of his beautifully crocheted dolls.
Watch the video below to know more about this beautiful story.
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