Left to right: Rep. John Frey; Donna Whitton (mother); Natalie Whitton; Brian Whitton (father); Gov. Dannel Malloy; Claudia Morgan (mother); Russel Morgan; 18-month-old Anabella Morgan; Brian Morgan (father); Connor Morgan; Ofelia Posada; Arturo Posada (Anabella’s grandparents).
Last year, Ridgefield resident Natalie Whitton met with Rep. John Frey. The 16-year-old junior at Ridgefield High School, an active member of LPA (Little People of America) explained to Frey that Connecticut did not recognize Dwarfism Awareness Month.
One year has passed since that meeting, and due to the continued activism of Natalie and the advocacy in the state Capitol by Frey, Connecticut now joins Delaware, Puerto Rico, Missouri, Indiana, Oklahoma, Illinois, Massachusetts, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, New Jersey, California, Arizona, Rhode Island, Maryland, South Carolina, Maine, New Hampshire, and Ohio in establishing October as Dwarfism Awareness Month.
An official bill signing took place Oct. 20 in the office of Gov. Dannel Malloy. Natalie was joined by her parents and the family of 18-month-old Ridgefielder Anabella Morgan, who was also born with achondroplasia.
When the Morgans learned that the bill establishing Dwarfism Awareness Month in Connecticut had been approved unanimously by the Connecticut House of Representatives and the state Senate in May, they reached out to Natalie through their pediatrician. The two families have remained close since then.
During the bill signing, Natalie told the governor that she advocated for Dwarfism Awareness Month in Connecticut so that children who have achondroplasia have an easier time growing up than she did. She said that bringing more attention to the subject will help normalize it and will allow people with achondroplasia to live normal lives.
“I’m proud that October will now be Dwarfism Awareness Month in Connecticut, and I’m thankful to Natalie for bringing this to our attention,” said Frey.
“The goal is to increase opportunities for people with achondroplasia around the state and to correct misconceptions that may be out there. Natalie is a regular person. She’s starting to look at colleges. She wants to pursue engineering. There are thousands of people just like Natalie, and they deserve normalcy,” said Frey.
The amendment, LCO Number 8218, states that the month of October will be Dwarfism Awareness Month in order to increase public awareness and improve available treatments for dwarfism, and for suitable exercises to be held in the state Capitol.
The amendment was attached to House Bill 6100, An Act Designating Spinal Muscular Atrophy With Respiratory Distress Awareness Day.
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