Wanted!
Your names, stories, pictures!
Many of you have helped Helen Baldwin already with her requestes for names for her book, The Jeffrey Journey, about her time with her Type I baby. Over to Helen...
Greetings to all! Many prayers go to those faced with particularly difficult decisions, challenging times, or new angels, and congratulations to those who are celebrating for any reason!
I am here with another reminder for two projects. I know I have already sent this out several times, but I am determined to reach as many folks as possible, and it's just not something I can accomplish in a one-shot effort. I have gathered new names from a variety of sources but know that there is no way I can possibly find them all, AND many e-mails are returned for one reason or another. Consequently, any help you can offer regarding other families is most welcomed! Please do not assume that other SMA families you contact know about these projects and/or have responded!!!
First is the request for names for the first revision of The Jeffrey Journey. For those who are new (apologies to those who already know this), I wrote the book based on notes I kept during our brief time with our baby, Jeffrey, diagnosed at eight weeks with SMA, Type 1. There is a special dedication at the end of the book, with an honor section for those affected by SMA and a memorial section for those who have already earned their wings. There are already hundreds of names listed, but I'd like MORE! This request pertains to ALL ages and ALL locations across the world!!! Please send the name as you would like it listed, including nicknames if desired, and let me know whether it belongs in the 'honor' or 'memorial' section.
Also regarding the book update, I am looking for any resources you have found invaluable for inclusion in the Resources section. Finally, regarding the book update, I have just sent the book and a LOT of paperwork to Health Communications, Inc., the publisher responsible for A Boy Called It and Chicken Soup. I included many comments/reviews of the book, but I would like to be ready to include at least some of them in the revision, no matter who has publishing rights by the time it's ready. If you would like your comment/review included in the revision of the book, either let me know to include something you've sent... or send something if you haven't already! THANKS.
The second project is a joint one with Kim Jean, another angel mom. Kim has indirect connections to someone at Oprah; we are gathering pictures and stories of those with SMA (here or gone) to accompany a copy of The Jeffrey Journey and will continue gathering until we know to whom we will be directing the box of treasures. Many thanks go to those who have already sent photos and notes, but again, we'd like MANY more! This must capture the attention of those who come before Oprah in the screening process so that it can get TO Oprah.
Please send pictures for Operation Oprah to either me (Helen Baldwin) at P.O. Box 964 - Jefferson, NC 28640, or to Kim Jean - 7567 Vista Allegre - Highland, CA 92346.
Webmaster's note: obviously it may not be practical to send your photos across the Atlantic, you can simply e-mail electronic versions of your photos from your digital camera or scanner.
As with the book, this project includes those of ALL ages and locations! Several have written that pictures are on the way, but if you mailed them to me and have NOT had a response from me, PLEASE contact me to make sure I received them! I don't know if Kim has had a chance to respond to those she's received because of a recent move, but if you mailed them to her, you might verify that she received them.
For either of these projects, please share the request with any others in the SMA family you keep in touch with who might not have internet access or have it consistently enough to keep up with the boards. For example, I know there are many families included in FSMA's newsletter that I can't reach for one reason or another, but maybe you can! If it takes a village to raise a child, it will take a LOT of villages to raise awareness of SMA. We can do it!!!
If you have any questions concerning either project, ordering the book, etc., please do not hesitate to contact me. Again, many thanks go to all of you who have contributed to either or both projects in this quest to help get the word about SMA out....
Best,
Helen Baldwin (mom to angel Jeffrey)
See Also
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