I’ve Got Spots began with a poem written on June 25th, 2018: World Vitiligo Day.

Author Danielle Wheeler began writing about her experience with vitiligo, a condition which causes skin to lose its pigment. As she wrote her story, she began to realize that maybe what people with vitiligo need isn’t medicine or makeup… maybe they need something that celebrates the uniqueness of their condition in a world obsessed with cosmetic perfection. Maybe we all need to feel proud of our bodies and to feel included.

Danielle was inspired to share her poem in the form of a children’s book, because kids had shown a special interest in her “spots”… and because the psychological impact of the condition often lands hardest on those who develop vitiligo at a young age.

Hopefully Danielle’s story will empower those who have vitiligo, inform those who don’t, and help everyone feel a little more comfortable in their own skin. After all, we all have something that makes us unique. We all have our own “spots” and it’s time to embrace them.

The initial sketches and artwork for I’ve Got Spots have been created, and final edits are being made to the manuscript. To fund this work, a GoFundMe campaign was established on June 25th, 2019 to raise money for the design, printing, and production costs of self-publishing a limited release of the book. In less than 20 days, the goal was met and surpassed! Next steps are to complete the illustrations and finalize our plans with our print vendor.  Thank you everyone for your support! 

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Link to our campaign:  www.gofundme.com/IveGotSpots