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Kind Teen Makes Dolls For Kids With Unique Physical Characteristics–WATCH
San Diego's Ariella Pacheco has been spending lockdown making amazing dolls for local kids with rare medical conditions.
Social & Lifestyle
Most little girls love dolls. When 17-year-old Ariella Pacheco was growing up, she was no exception. Since kids tend to bond best with dolls that resemble them, the American Girl doll Pacheco chose for herself looked like it could have been her sister.
“She looked like me and I felt there was a piece of me in her,” Pacheco, now a senior at Cathedral Catholic High School, told The San Diego Union-Tribune. “You see yourself in a doll and it’s really special to have that connection.”
Children find comfort and connection interacting with dolls that reflect their own physical image as well as their racial and cultural heritage, but until recently, finding diversity when shopping for them has been difficult.
While mass-market selections have become increasingly inclusive in recent years, some segments of the population continue to be excluded. Children whose rare medical conditions render their appearances different from the norm have little to no hope of finding their likeness at a toy store or even online.
Knowing just how important making that very personal connection could be for a child gave Pacheco an idea.