NEWSLETTERS - September 2024
September is Craniofacial
Acceptance Month
September is Craniofacial Acceptance Month and holds deep significance for our friends living with craniofacial conditions. It's a time to share stories and raise our voices for a more accepting future, so be on the lookout for FACES weekly Advice from Young Adults series on our social media in September.
We will feature young adults with various perspectives, showing that life is more than what craniofacial condition they were born with. They will share their lived wisdom, offering a space for inspiration, connection, and support for the next generation of children living with a craniofacial difference.
Spreading acceptance of individuals affected by a facial difference is an important endeavor, but it's even more important to accept ourselves and find ways to support one another. We hope the advice from these dynamic young adults makes us all #StrongerTogether
We begin the series with FACES board member Ryan Vargas, Ryan was born with craniosynostosis, which is a congenital craniofacial condition in which the sutures close too early, causing problems with normal brain and skull growth. At eleven months old, Ryan had surgery to repair his condition and had a Z scar on each side of his skull. Ryan is healthy, thriving, and living his passion as a NASCAR driver. He recently competed in the Czech Republic during GP Czech Republic Race Week as part of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.
To learn more about craniosynostosis, visit our website at www.faces-cranio.org.
FACES Camp 2024 Wrap-Up and
New Location for 2025
FACES Camp 2024 was a resounding success for campers from 12 states, ages 6 - 17! With most campers being new faces and the addition of Darcey Wright to our camp counselor crew, FACES Camp was buzzing with energy and excitement! Camp Director Ashley Rhodes and the counselors gave our campers a memorable week.
On Tuesday of camp, NASCAR driver and FACES board member Ryan Vargas surprised the FACES campers and joined the fun, from arts and crafts to challenge courses and signing autographs for campers during the afternoon ice cream social. The FACES Board sponsored the event for the entire camp and served 150 delicious bowls of vanilla ice cream with an array of toppings for each camper to select. It was a refreshing break on a warm summer day at camp.
Our friend Alix Parks, from Happinest Wildlife Rehabilitation and Rescue, brought a unique experience to our campers. She gave a captivating presentation about raptors with a special guest, Zena, the rescued hawk. This was a truly inspiring moment for our campers. We also thank the Smoke Rising Baptist Church family ministry for their generous donation of welcome packages, including a red cinch sack with our camp logo for campers and counselors.
Thank you to all the donors who have supported FACES Camp. Your generosity has made it possible for FACES to give partial scholarships to all campers and full scholarships to seventy-five percent of campers, in addition to travel scholarships. Because of you, FACES can help families provide their children with life-changing experiences where they gain confidence and can just be themselves. Your support is truly invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for it. As one parent remarked, the FACES Camp experience is invaluable:
“This camp helps my daughter grow significantly each time she attends FACES Camp.
It provides her with many wonderful experiences and creates beautiful memories. Children with rare diseases often don't have friends with the same condition or experiences nearby, so opportunities like this are invaluable. Thanks to the scholarship, we are very grateful that she can participate.
The detailed attention of the FACES staff allows us to entrust our child with confidence. I can't thank FACES and sponsors enough.”
Another parent shared these remarks about what camp has meant to her daughter.
“When we started looking for camps for kids with facial differences, we came across this camp and knew it was perfect for our teenage daughter. Since camp, she has really appreciated herself, knowing there are other kids who face the same issues and feelings as her. I can't thank you and the staff enough for putting everything together. Everyone was kind and helpful. Thank you for giving my child the confidence to help her navigate this world.”
Since 2019, FACES Camp has been held at Camp Woodmont in Cloudland, Georgia. In August, the new owners of Camp Woodmont announced that it would restructure the camp into an all-girls camp, therefore FACES Camp will no longer be held at Camp Woodmont. However, we are excited to share that we are actively looking for a site for Summer 2025 in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, area. We will keep you posted when we have found our new home!
Thank you, Camp Woodmont, for hosting FACES Camp and welcoming our campers and counselors for five memorable years.
Meet FACES Chair,
McKenzie Bergenback
FACES is excited to announce McKenzie Bergenback, MS, as the new board chair for FACES – The National Craniofacial Association, and works full-time as a Clinical Anaplastologist. In her clinical role, she creates facial prosthetics for patients with missing craniofacial anatomy due to trauma, cancer, and birth differences.
She discovered FACES by chance in 2020 while searching for craniofacial centers after moving to Chattanooga, TN, and immediately felt compelled to get involved. FACES' work on a local and international level keeps her coming back to serve on the board.
McKenzie is passionate about promoting face equality and uses her expertise in art, design, and marketing, combined with her clinical knowledge, to help individuals with craniofacial differences thrive in a world that values diversity.
