Osteogenesis Imperfecta Support Group

Foundation Founder Publishes Memoir

From the Seeds of Sadness,
by Gemma Geisman

he OI Foundation. pleased to announce the long awaited publication of Gemma Geisman’s memoir From the Seeds of Sadness. In it, Gemma, the founder of the OI Foundation, shares her personal story about raising a child with OI and the behind the scenes story about the early formative years of the OI Foundation.

When Mike Geisman was born, the best the Geisman’s doctor could do was show Gemma a paragraph about OI in a medical textbook. From the Seeds of Sadness is the story of how she and Dick learned about OI one day at a time. It is about unconditional love, joys, sorrows and lessons learned. After 11 years of coping with isolation, the lack of information about OI, and the stress of raising four children, Gemma wrote an article for a national magazine. That article served as a catalyst for a marvelous group of parents to find each other, become pen pals, long distance friends and advocates for their OI children. It changed how they interacted with their doctors. It allowed them to reach out to other families. Out of that friendship, determination and love for their children, the OI Foundation was born.

This inspiring story gives us a glimpse of the world before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or the Internet. It is a reminder of how little was known about OI 50 years ago and the difficult challenges faced by OI families. This book is a fitting memorial to the families and doctors whose past efforts made a difference for people living with OI today.

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Posted on 06/03/09, 04:06 pm