Social Worker creates custom dolls that look like children with disabilities

Amy Jandrisevits used to work as a pediatric oncology social worker, helping children cope with their diseases, hospitalizations and treatments. In her work she would often make use of play therapy, often involving dolls. Amy is also a skilled crafter and for many years has crafted handmade dolls. “Even when I was a social worker, I thought it was important to have dolls available to the kids because everyone should have something to hold”, she says.

On one occasion, a mother saw one of the dolls Amy had made and asked her if she would make a doll that looked like her daughter, who had lost one leg. Amy said yes and from then on she started making dolls “for kids who will never see themselves on the store shelves” and even founded her own non profit organization – A Doll Like Me.

Over the years, Amy has made more than 400 dolls representing hundreds of different diseases or health condition, from amputation to scars, albinism or birthmarks. Every single doll is handmade by Amy in her dinning room table. She starts by closely examining the child’s photo, making sure the finished all we resemble the child as much as possible. Even though it takes so much work, and she gets so many request, Amy continues to do it all on her own. "It’s such a personal thing," Jandrisevits explains. "I think if people read the emails that I get and the heartache and the desperation, I think that it would be a little bit clearer why this isn’t a factory. It was never meant to be like that", Amy explains.

Parents can contact Amy directly and request a doll but Amy has also partnered with childrens’ hospitals “to identify kids who might benefit from having a doll for comfort as they go through their medical care”.
Through her non-profit organization, Amy runs a crowdfunding campaign to gather donations to pay for the materials and shipping of the dolls. “Ultimately, I don’t want any parent to have to pay for something that’s so important. If we’re going to look at mental health as a necessary part of medical care, this is key. My ultimate goal is to fulfill every doll order that comes in and not have the families have to pay for it.”

Adapted from: https://www.parents.com/syndication/mom-makes-one-of-a-kind-dolls-for-ch...

More information:
https://www.facebook.com/nannysbabiestoodollslikeme/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/zu4kf2-a-doll-like-me