Halton News - Dwarfism Awareness

Good friend of mine, Violet, joining us here in studio. And Violet has been working with our news team for quite some time. And today, you're bringing us some exciting news about October, this month being declared as Dwarfism Awareness Month. You had a flag raising just yesterday in Milton. And really, Violet, you've been building so much momentum behind this and raising awareness. So why don't you talk to us a little bit about your story and why you've decided to become an advocate for Dwarfism Awareness Month? Yeah. So I have achondroplasia, which is the most common type of dwarfism. The dwarfism gene is one in every 25,000 births. Achondroplasia is about one in every 40,000 births. So just ever since I started high school, I've always been just advocating for people with dwarfism. Because unfortunately, people with dwarfism are still being treated unfairly. We get laughed at. We get pointed at. People take our pictures. And I want to create a better world for people with dwarfism, especially the younger generation and all the little kids I know, just so that they can grow up and they can have a fair shot and just not be treated unfairly. And it's unfortunate that this is still happening in today's society when we know that there's so many people with an array of different challenges or misconceptions of what they deal with on a day-to-day basis. But you're here to really explain and advocate that life isn't that much different for you, but you do have some challenges. Can you talk to us a little bit about that, but how you've kind of overcome those barriers as well? I know that you've posted about it. You've talked about it. Yeah. So unfortunately, the world isn't really made for people with dwarfism. Pretty much everything is made for people that are over five feet, right? So there's always the things that are up high and I can't reach. Solution is grabbing a stool, climbing on the counters, doing all that stuff. But there's also, like I said, the social challenges and just the people don't understand dwarfism. Dwarfism is foreign to them. So I'm trying to overcome the social challenges and just being treated fairly and getting the acceptance that I deserve. Fantastic. Now, coming up, you have an event here in the Halton region, in Milton, and this is a chance for people to learn a bit more. Can you talk to us about the event? Yeah. So this is my second annual Dwarfism Awareness Benefit Concert. It's at the Milton Seniors Activity Centre on October 19th. So basically, all the proceeds go towards the Little People of Ontario, which is a dwarfism organization. They're a charitable organization that provides resources and supports for people with dwarfism, as well as their families and friends. I've been with them even before I was born. So for the last 20 years, and they're such a great organization. So all the money is going for the tickets are going towards them. And there's going to be music, there's going to be speeches, there's going to be facts about dwarfism, and you can just learn about dwarfism and all that stuff. And there's going to be food and it's going to be a lot of fun. And it also gives people a chance to meet people who have, I guess, the one strand that you have, as opposed to maybe some others as well. And how many exactly are there? Do you know? How many types of dwarfism? Yeah. There is about, the number is increasing all the time. Okay. So I think there's about, now, there's 400 types of dwarfism. Okay. And you said yours is one in every 40,000? Yes. Achondroplasia. Okay. Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for joining us here today. Thank you for having me. And for advocating and helping, like you said, the children who you hope to make changes for. So that's amazing for you to be doing and for all the contributions that you're doing as well in the region. So again, for those details, come and check out the Dwarfism Awareness Benefit Concert. It's taking place on Saturday, October 19th, starting at 7.30, going to 9.30. It's a kid-friendly environment and it's taking place at the Milton Seniors Activity Center. You can get your tickets really easy online at eventbrite.ca. All the money is, of course, going towards the charitable cause for dwarfism awareness.