Ella Rogers’ family was grateful to the toy company, Mattel because they were able to gift their daughter a doll which looked just like her.
The two-year-old was born with spina bifida, a birth defect where the baby’s spinal cord doesn’t develop fully. Her mother, Lacey bought the doll from Mattel’s new Fashionista line as it was in a wheelchair, just like Ella. “Mattel has included my daughter,” she said. “As somebody that has a special needs child, that means the world to them.”
When Ella received the doll, she was over the moon, see her adorable reaction in the video. Even though she cannot speak, she loved receiving a Barbie that looked like her. “It brings me a lot of joy,” Lacey said.
“It brings them a lot of joy as well because they can relate. It’s not just a Barbie that stands. It’s a Barbie in a wheelchair.” She added, “It helps them feel like they’re included.”
2-year-old Ohio girl with spina bifida receives special Barbie doll
#AMAZING!!! 2-year-old Ella Rogers was born with spina bifida. Ella is in a wheelchair and now, thanks to Mattel, she has a Barbie doll with a special connection to her.
Story: https://bit.ly/2VvuJJQPosted by KSNV News 3, Las Vegas on Thursday, 27 February 2020