I was 14 when Sahil told me he had tumors in his neck. Diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 at the age of 1, he had been symptom-free until the age of 9. Over the next 7 years, I watched helplessly as he endured nights of splitting migraines, wracking neck pain, and even surgery to remove the tumors in his skull. I did my best to support him but I could never truly understand what he was going through; he needed people that could empathize with his situation. But as we looked online, it was difficult to find an accessible pediatric NF community, something that would make him feel not alone in this fight. I wanted to make a change for other kids like Sahil. This was the birth of SketchNF.
SketchNF is dedicated to raising funds and creating a network for pediatric NF patients one sketch at a time. Our mission is to empower children with NF by allowing them to share their stories and hopes through the form of art. By auctioning off these original drawings, we hope to raise money for NF research and organizations such as NF Network in pursuit of a cure. We also envision that every person who purchases a drawing will feel a personal connection with that child, knowing that their donation has given back directly to the effort of changing their life. As our community grows, not only will the number of youth empowered by SketchNF increase, but greater NF awareness can be spread.
As each child’s unique story is shared through art, we hope that people can better understand the impact NF has on each of their precious lives.
