Volunteering is a labor of love. Volunteering together as a family helps kids learn that they can make a positive difference in the lives of others. It is a great way to teach the importance of becoming involved and giving back to our NFED community. It gives children a sense of responsibility, compassion and…
Animals for Ava: Paying it forward!
By Angela and Dante Puorro Our daughter was diagnosed with hypohydrotic ectodermal dysplasia at the age of 19 months. She was born without teeth, sparse hair and underdeveloped sweat glands. I still remember the day vividly. It was six years ago, at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on the Friday before Labor Day. Ava’s pediatric dentist introduced us…
Celebrating 15 Years of Halloween Bash Success
When Ryan was a year-and-a-half old, and was medically stable, Ruth and Keith Geismar started planning the very first fundraising event to benefit the NFED. Ruth wanted to give back to this organization that had embraced her family and Ryan. Now, we are close to wrapping up the NFED’s 15th annual Halloween Bash. We would…
NFED Class of 2015– We Are So Proud!
We are excited for our 2015 graduates! Every one of you has accomplished great things in your lives and are sure to go on to be even greater. Congratulations Class of 2015! Enoch Carnahan Greenville, South Carolina Graduating from: Greer Middle College Charter High School Five things about me that I would like people to…
Finding Strength in Moments of Pain
By Acacia Hathaway When my daughter, Ella, is older I will tell her the heart touching story of her first birthday and why I chose butterflies as her theme. She will begin to understand that she was strong from the beginning. She has taught me what strength really is. When Ella was almost a year…
Be a Genie for the NFED
All of us at some time or another have wished for a genie. Rub the magic lamp and get three wishes. How easy would that be! Sadly enough, this doesn’t happen. Why is that? Could it be because we no longer believe in magic? What if we could borrow the magic lamp for even just…
Déjà Vu All Over Again
By Mary K. Richter NFED Founder and Executive Director 1981-2010 While we often hope for or look for change or something better, time suggests that much in life doesn’t really change all that much. Take for instance the mom who works hard to teach her children to put away their toys and possessions. Chances are…
10* More Rare Ectodermal Dysplasias
All of the 180+ different types of ectodermal dysplasias are considered “rare” because they affect less than 200,000 people in the United States. But some of the syndromes are much more rare than others. Here is a sampling of 10 that fall into that latter category. Book’s Syndrome – 1 person Signs and symptoms include failure of premolars…