When I first wrote “10 Fingers Are Overrated” back in 2024, I was a mom still finding my footing - learning how to raise a daughter born with one hand, navigating a world that wasn’t always built with her in mind, and discovering a community I didn’t yet know existed in the way I know it now. That article was my heart on the page: the shock, the joy, the fear, the humor, and the fierce love that comes with parenting a child whose difference you didn’t expect but now couldn’t imagine life without.
Two years later, everything has changed - not just for our family, but for the community that has grown around us.
What started as one story has become a movement.
April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month
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From One Birth Story to a Community of Thousands
Back then, I was searching for connection. Today, we’re building it. When I wrote that I had just put an invite out on Facebook to join us at the Zoo for Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness month - where a few moms I met online who also had kids with limb differences - were going to meet up. We didn't know if anyone would show. Over 150 adults and kids with limb differences and their families came! It showed just how needed those spaces were needed.
Since 2024, our family’s journey and our community has grown into something bigger than we ever imagined:
We launched the Parenting Children with Limb Differences Podcast
A space where:
- Parents share their lived experiences
- Adults with limb differences offer wisdom and humor
- Experts break down everything from prosthetics to potty training
- And families who feel alone finally hear: “You belong here.”
What began as a simple idea is now a global resource for families who need community, understanding, and a voice that sounds like theirs. We've connected with people all across the country, the UK and have received positive responses from as far as Mexico, India, and Australia!
We created in‑person community events - and they’re growing every year
Our first meet‑up was small, joyful, and a little chaotic - exactly what you’d expect from a group of kids who run, climb, splash, and play with zero hesitation.
Now, our events:
- Bring together families from across Illinois and beyond
- Offer adaptive activities, parent connection, and kid‑powered joy
- Create the kind of in person representation we never saw when Mackenzie was born
Seeing kids with limb differences run toward each other like instant best friends? That’s the magic we’re building.
We founded the Limb Difference Collective Foundation
Because connection shouldn’t depend on luck.
The Limb Difference Collective Foundation (LDCF) was born from a simple truth: families deserve support, resources, and community from day one - not years later when they finally stumble into it.
Through LDCF, we now:
- Host free meet‑ups and community events (many in the Schaumburg area!)
- Share resources, guides, and representation‑centered content
- Connect with organizations nationwide
- Advocate for visibility, inclusion, and joy
What started as a mom Googling "how to potty train with one hand" at 2 a.m. is now a nonprofit serving families across the country. I actually created the website and based it off of the amazing information you can find on Macaroni Kid. There's space for information, articles, links to resources and I add adaptive sports opportunities, camps, meet ups to the Events calendar just as I do for this platform.
We launched Hugs in a Box care packages
When Mackenzie was born, I desperately needed someone to say, “You’re not alone.”
So we created that for other families.
Our Hugs-in-a-Box packages include:
- Representation‑centered books
- Tools and toys that celebrate limb difference
- Parent resources
- A handwritten note from someone who truly gets it
These boxes go to families who just received a diagnosis, who are navigating new emotions, or who simply need a reminder that their child is perfect exactly as they are.
Every box is a hug we wish we could give in person.
Our mission has grown - but our heart hasn’t changed
Mackenzie is now older, bolder, and more confident than ever. She swims, skis (yep, that's her wake boarding with one hand), bikes, climbs, crafts, and compliments strangers on their “sweet wheels.” She and the other kids like her are the reason behind everything we do - and the proof that representation matters.
But this movement isn’t just about her anymore.
It’s about:
- The parents who whisper “She doesn’t have a hand” in a delivery room
- The kids who stare with curiosity and kindness
- The adults who grew up without representation and want better for the next generation
- The families who need community, not pity
- The belief that differences aren’t deficits - they’re part of the beautiful spectrum of being human
What’s Next?
We’re just getting started.
In the coming year, LDCF will continue to:
- Expand our free events
- Grow the podcast
- Build partnerships with organizations nationwide
- Deliver more Hugs in a Box
- Launch our free Wolf Pack membership
- Create more resources for families, educators, and communities
Our goal is simple: Every child with a limb difference deserves to feel seen, supported, and celebrated.
And every parent deserves to know they’re doing an incredible job.
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A Summer on Deck With Paralympic Greatness
In the summer of 2024, I also had the incredible honor of coaching at the U.S. Paralympic Swimming Trials in Minneapolis. I cheered on athletes from my Reach Aquatics and Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA), met future Paralympians, and watched medalists race just a few lanes away.
The best part? My kids were in the stands, watching their mom coach athletes with all kinds of disabilities - visible and invisible - while cheering for swimmers who would go on to represent Team USA. It was a powerful reminder of why representation in sport matters and why creating belonging for limb‑different kids is work worth doing.
A Final Word From the Mom Who Started It All
If you’re reading this as a parent who’s just beginning this journey - take a breath. You and your child are going to surprise yourselves in the best ways.
If you’re reading this as a community member - thank you for cheering on our kids and supporting the programs we're bringing to the forefront.
And if you’re reading this as someone who has followed our story from the beginning - thank you for helping turn one family’s experience into a collective movement of hope, understanding, growth, and support.
My daughter and the community we love being part of is excited for what's to come!
(and don't think I have it all together - I am always flying by the seat of my pants)
"This purpose makes my heart beat stronger" - Kari Treat
How you can support the Limb Difference Collective Foundation
When you support our work, you're helping kids with limb differences and families feel seen.
Here are a few ways to get involved:
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Kari Treat is the publisher of Macaroni KID Schaumburg and the Co-Founder of Limb Difference Collective Foundation
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