Lola's Voice: The Bullying Stops Here!
Hello, my name is LaTonya and I am a single mother to a very special little girl named Lola who was born with a rare condition called Apert Syndrome. Lola is a fighter; she has undergone three major surgeries (skull, stomach and hands). As for Lola’s case, she was born with type III hands, meaning all of her fingers were fused including her thumbs and she has webbed [fused together] toes. Her skull also closed prematurely not allowing growth for her brain. Lola still faces innumerable surgeries to come in the future. With this syndrome, Lola is under the care of several specialists. She has six surgeons, four doctors, and three therapists.
Last year just before Mother’s Day, a friend informed me that there was an image of Lola with very harsh comments plastered across several social media sites. People called her horrible names and even compared her to a dog. The day after Mother's Day, my sister, Valarie Thompson and I created Lola's Voice Facebook and Twitter page. Lola’s story has gained the attention of many supporters worldwide: from the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, all across the USA, and to the troops in Afghanistan! Lola's Voice is an anti-bullying campaign aimed at stomping out bullying while educating the public about those with disabilities and the challenges they face.
We are encouraging people to STEP UP AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST BULLYING. I thank God for the strength to endure everything that comes our way. To conclude, Lola is my hero and the hero of many others.
We would like to thank FACES and all the organizations that make Lola’s medical trips possible.
