The Davis Family Makes an Impact

To end 2019 and all of our celebrations of kindness throughout the year, we thought it would be best to celebrate what matters most; family. Our final Kindness Contest of the year was our Family That Impacts Contest where we sought out to find a family that goes above and beyond to make a lasting positive impact. We asked, “When you think of these families within your community, who comes to mind?”

We were humbled to see countless submissions of amazing families making impacts in their communities, and the nominators who felt so profoundly inspired by them. After a tough decision process, one family stuck out the most- The Davis Family.

Get inspired as you read Astrid Wielens, Director at Zebra Crossings nomination of the Davis Family.

“Raising a medically complex child with an ultra-rare disease is an all-encompassing job. It’s like running a never ending marathon without any fanfare or medal. For most families, it becomes their defining characteristic and self-imposed glass ceilings are created. Somehow, for Kristen Davis and her family, when their youngest child was diagnosed with CLOVES syndrome in 2009, a spark was ignited. As a family, they held fast to the belief that anything is possible; you just need some creativity. They focus on the passion in each family member and pursue it with rigor. These values have allowed the family to flourish as an entity and as individuals. In addition to managing life with CLOVES, their youngest child is pursuing life to the fullest competing on a sports team, performing on stage, and applying for college.”

Wielens continues, “What truly makes this family stand out is that they have shared this with the world. In 2009, Kristen formed the CLOVES Syndrome Community (CSC) website since no organization existed to support families and people living with this rare disease. CSC became a non-profit organization in July 2011. When CLOVES Syndrome Community held their first family conference, in conjunction with Boston Children’s hospital, 6 families were in attendance. This past June, 180 adults and 37 youth, from 3 countries and 17 U.S. States travelled to Boston to join as a community and gain knowledge, connection, and strength. When the conference concluded, Kristen turned her attention to applying for a $450,000 grant for research on rare diseases. Kristen and her family are relentless in their advocacy for people living with rare diseases and chronic illnesses. They truly are a beacon of hope and connection for families throughout the world.”

Congratulations to the Davis family on being our Family That Impacts Contest winners, you inspire us and make our communities better.