My name is Danielle Wheeler, and I’ve got spots. I like to call my vitiligo patches “spots,” because to me, that's what they look like: beautiful spots of white and tan skin.
I started noticing my spots about eight years ago. The first one was under my armpit, and I was convinced that I’d cut myself shaving. Months later, I noticed my hands were losing pigment. I was sure I must have gotten some sort of chemical on them, until I did more research and realized that the spots were vitiligo.
Coincidentally, I was babysitting for a dermatologist at the time, and she confirmed my suspicions and wrote me a prescription for some topical creams. They were gloopy, uncomfortable, and ineffective. I honestly found it emotionally exhausting to try to repigment my skin.
One of the key moments in my journey with vitiligo happened when I was babysitting. A little girl came up to me at a park. She was friends with the kids I was nannying for at the time. She looked at my skin and asked me about it. I had been struggling with how my skin looked, but I wanted to create a positive and educational moment for her. I told her my spots were called vitiligo, and that it was like my body had given itself a tattoo. The girl then told me how much she liked them and started playing the cloud game with my spots. “This one looks like a flower!" she said, thus forever changing the way I viewed my skin.
|
It was then that I first had the idea to write a book about vitiligo. I wanted to create a narrative I wasn’t seeing at the time — the idea of acceptance. I was seeing tons of information about treatments and how to conceal your vitiligo, but nothing about embracing it.
A few years (and many spots) later, I wrote a poem on June 25, 2018, for World Vitiligo Day. I posted it on social media and several people told me I should turn it into a book, so I did! After finding an illustrator and setting up a GoFundMe account, I was able to raise the money for the first round of printing.
I sold out of the book’s first printing in a few short months, and now I’m on my second printing of “I’ve Got Spots!” The project is self-published and self-distributed, and I can proudly say you can find copies of this children’s book all over the world. I look forward to creating more characters and content that celebrates vitiligo awareness.
My Perspective articles discuss vitiligo from a specific point of view. My Perspective articles don’t reflect the opinions of MyVitiligoTeam staff, medical experts, partners, advertisers, or sponsors. MyVitiligoTeam content isn’t intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Get updates directly to your inbox.
Become a member to get even more:
A MyVitiligoTeam Member
Awesome! Especially for children, as they maybe made fun of in school and such. Sometimes children can be so cruel. This book will provide them a better understanding of what is happening to their… read more
We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.
You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.