Ten years ago, on
Veterans Day, November 11, 2010, Colleen Elizabeth Ormond (pictured here with the family dog, Hero), died at the age of twenty-five. I learned of her death late that night, not even a week after
publishing a blog post about November being a month of remembrance for those who have died, and for those who mourn them.
Colleen was born with with a severe form of a hydrocephalic condition which caused her to have several debilitating afflictions, including being unable to see due to resulting damage to her optic nerve.
Yet Colleen Elizabeth Ormond gave much love from the minute she came into the world until she left it, passing peacefully in her sleep on Veterans Day, having been a warrior herself.
Colleen had fought the good fight and has now finished the race.
At that time, the family did request that in lieu of flowers to honor Colleen, donations could be made to Katibug, a non-profit foundation helping families who are caring for medically and physically fragile children like Colleen, in their homes.
Colleen's passing (and the fact that her parents and sister cared for her in their home) has always been part of my inspiration to follow through n my book project Imperfect Strangers.
The book discusses growing up with the condition of NF (Neurofibromatosis) and I've posted a video re my endeavor which can be viewed within my Vimeo channel as well as my You Tube channel.
The goal of my ptroject is to not only raise awareness about NF, but to educate the general public about consequences re how remarks made to an individual with any physical (or mental) difference can have a profound, long-lasting impact that last a lifetime.
