Giving a Childhood of L.O.V.E-American Vitiligo Research Foundation

As you all know Michael suffered from this terrible disease his entire adult life and it caused him much heartache, pain and distress - not to mention the ridicule he put up with from both the media, and some of the public...We have the opportunity to help others with this disease now by donating to The American Vitiligo Research Foundation.

Your donation will be helping Children, Teens, and Young Adults afflicted with this disease Worldwide..and do no harm to animals in the research that is done......The Foundation has no other means of support - other than the kindness of you, the public, and a very special public you are - Fans of Michael Jackson.....There is no corporate funding to help these children.

I honestly believe that Michael would really appreciate our help with this Foundation - his son Prince now suffers from the same disease.

Please open your hearts to help those afflicted.

A letter from the President of AVRF:

The AVRF is a 501©(3) federally tax exempt charity based in Clearwater, FL. We are a humane charity that does not sponsor any research using animals. We focus on children living with Vitiligo, since they are the most vulnerable. Vitiligo does not kill the body, but it truly destroys one’s spirit. Many Vitiligo sufferers do not leave their homes due to public ridicule, pointing, staring and many nasty remarks. I have lived with Vitiligo for over 40 years of my life. I was 22 years old when I first was diagnosed, so I know firsthand what one goes through with this disfiguring skin disorder.

Many people do not want to support awareness or research since they
believe that there are more serious diseases that take lives. I agree
that Vitiligo is not life threatening but it is life altering sometimes to
the point of those afflicted committing suicide. I myself did
contemplate suicide, but I thank God that I put all of my energy to help others living with this skin disorder.

We are a very small charity. I work out of my home, but we have been to Nairobi, Kenya and purchased a treatment machine forKenyatta National Hospital because in Kenya and in other countries in Africa the uneducated public believes that Vitiligo is one of the following: a curse, aids, or cancer. One of the male nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital told me that his uncle hung himself, because people shunned him so much that he could not go on living. A parent of a biracial child emailed me that her doctor told her that her child was 2 colors due to her parents, one being black and the other being white. I could go on and on for a few hours sharing some of the horror stories I hear on a weekly basis, but I believe if we are chosen to be the charity of your choice, then it will happen. I will have our Webmaster create a special Pay Pal just for your group’s donations, if you choose the AVRF as your charity to support. We create a children’s “Embracing Diversity” calendar each year with 12 different children affected by Vitiligo. Each child and their parent write a little about themselves and this helps anyone who reads the calendar to learn about this devastating disease. I believe awareness is the first step for acceptance.

Wishing all of you a happy, healthy and prosperous life.

Thank you on behalf of the millions of children worldwide living with Vitiligo.

Sincerely,
Stella Pavlides
President

The AVRF Mission Statement

American Vitiligo Research Foundation Inc. (AVRF) provides public awareness about vitiligo through dedicated work, education and counseling. We seek to make a difference worldwide to those afflicted by the disease, focusing on children and their families.

We embrace diversity and encourage acceptance. The AVRF encourages higher ethical standards in research, and therefore supports finding a cure through alternatives to animal testing.

•  AVRF is a tax-exempt charity, regulated by section 501(c)(3) of The Internal Revenue Code.

If you would like to donate to this charity in honor of Michael's birthday, please click the image below.

 

A special thanks to Wendy Dalgetty for arranging for the direct set up of donations and for writing this blog entry.