My American Girl Doll Makes a Difference In the Lives of Little Girls with Cancer

CHICAGO, IL, August 24, 2012 (Press-News.org) American Girl recently introduced a new My American Girl Doll without Hair.

According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer is, "...the leading cause of death by disease among U.S. children 1 to 14 years of age." The good news is that the survival rate for childhood cancer has increased drastically over the last ten years and today the overall 5-year survival rate is close to 80%.

That means there are some little girls out there who could use a doll that may look different, but can truly make a difference. American Girl has long been an icon as well as a doll and their newly introduced 18" play doll has no hair but a whole lot of heart.

Recently rated by AblePlay, a website devoted to toys and play products for children with special needs, this My American Girl Doll without Hair received high four-star ratings for children with cognitive, sensory or communicative disabilities.
Key elements of the AblePlay evaluation noted that the My American Girl Doll without Hair can:

• Provide comfort for a child when she is in a novel or difficult situation, such as when she is receiving chemotherapy
• Help children work through their emotions in the safety of play
• Allow children to identify and relate because it looks like them and helps them realize they are not alone in their struggle

In addition to the My American Girl Doll without Hair, American Girl has also created accessories that could relate to other special needs a child might have. They include a service dog named Chocolate Chip and his accoutrements; a pink hearing aid that fits any of the My American Girl dolls' ears; and an allergy-free lunch that includes an EpiPen.

AblePlay is an online resource at http://www.ableplay.org provided by the National Lekotek Center, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing children who have disabilities access to the benefits of play experiences. Lekotek believes that toys and play can help children with special needs learn, develop and thrive in a world that presents them with many unique and complex challenges.

"American Girl has a long history of creating items that speak to diversity and inclusion, and we are proud to introduce the new dolls without hair, as well as several other items, that help us expand in this important area," said company spokesperson Julie Parks. In addition to offering the new dolls for sale, American Girl will also include them in its annual donation of over $100,000 dollars' worth of dolls to the Children's Hospital Association.

Customers interested in obtaining the new doll should call the American Girl customers service line at 1-800-628-5145 and ask about the My American Girl Doll without Hair. For more information visit the American Girl Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/americangirl.

AblePlay is an online resource at http://www.ableplay.org from the nonprofit National Lekotek Center a division of Anixter Center, and the leading authority on toys and play for children with disabilities. For further information, please contact Ellen Metrick at 773.528-5766 ext. 404 or emetrick@lekotek.org.