In 2021, Lindsay Miller, a high school math teacher in New Hope, received a call from the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services about fostering two children.
Miller had fostered in the past and was excited to do it again, but she was told one of the children, Anne Marie, was slightly different from other children she had fostered.
Even at 5 months old, she was significantly smaller than other babies and wouldn’t grow like a typical child, but that didn’t change Miller’s thoughts at all.
“I was like, ‘Well, sure, why not?,’” Miller told The Dispatch. “I really didn’t have a clue, honestly, (or know) anything about little people. … I was so eager to foster my next placement.”
Miller fostered Anne Marie and her sister Isabella before adopting them in 2023. By then, she had begun the process of regular visits to doctor’s offices, surgeries and physical therapists that parents of children with achondroplasia know all too well. Achondroplasia is a genetic disorder that affects large bone growth and is the most common form of dwarfism, according to the National Library of Medicine.
October is National Dwarfism Awareness Month, and New Hope schools plan to celebrate by wearing green on Friday.
Miller said Anne Marie averages at least a surgery a year and has regular appointments at University of Mississippi Medical Center with about 20 doctors in neurosurgery for her “large” head and in orthopedics for her shortened bones.
Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
Anne Marie also uses a wheelchair when moving large distances as she continues to develop strength in her legs after learning to walk last spring, Miller said.
“We’re just now conquering some milestones that most people take for granted at 4 years old,” Miller said. “ … She’s getting stronger every day.”
While Anne Marie’s physical development lags behind her peers, Miller said her mental development hasn’t, contrary to the preconceived notions people may have about dwarfism.
Miller said she’s relieved Anne Marie has dealt with very little bullying since starting her first year at New Hope Lower Elementary School, where she has already become quite popular in her class.
“Everybody at that school has been so amazing (and gone) above and beyond,” Miller said. “I’m proud to drop my daughter off there every day. I’m proud for her to ride the bus over there, because they have done nothing but make the best year ever for her.”
Three is good company
Before Danielle Davis moved back to Columbus in the summer of 2022, a couple of mutual friends put her in contact with Miller because they both shared in the experience of having a child with dwarfism, Davis said. The two quickly became friends.
“It’s good to be able to have that community and bounce ideas off of each other and ask questions that you know other people may not know the answers to,” Davis said.
Since Clara Jo, who is in third grade at New Hope Upper Elementary School, is older than Anne Marie, Miller said she has leaned on Davis for guidance and advice as Anne Marie gets older.
Miller also connected with Ashley Vance, her former student, over Facebook after her daughter Ka’Zuri McCoy was born in 2023 with achondroplasia. Miller, Davis and Vance are now friends on Facebook who regularly talk to each other and swap advice.
Vance said Miller and Davis have been extremely helpful in guiding her through the search for specialized daycares and specific resources for her daughter’s development. After seeing the success of Miller and Davis’ daughters in the New Hope schools, Vance feels more confident in sending Ka’Zuri when she’s old enough.
“It made me feel great that they don’t make fun of little people like my baby,” Vance said. “… When she turns 3 or 4, I want to go sign her up for pre-K.”
Miller pushed the idea for students and staff to wear green for National Dwarfism Awareness Day on Friday after being inspired by previous celebrations done for Clara Jo by her classes, by Miller at the high school and at the daycare where both Anne Marie and Ka’Zuri attended.
But this year she wanted to go all out for all three girls.
“It’s very rare to have a child with achondroplasia and in the New Hope Community. … We have three little girls who have this,” Miller said. “… We all have very strong connections to the New Hope community, and so it just kind of was laid on my heart like, ‘Hey lets make this bigger and let’s educate the people.’”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 42 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
