Mother raises awareness through children's books

Does your belly have two buttons? If so, you might be a "tubie." Next week is Feeding Tube Awareness Week, and Thompson Falls mother and master hair stylist Meikele "Kellee" Needles is all about promotion of this unique condition. Kellee's three-year-old son, Nico, is the inspiration for her support of feeding tube awareness, as he is living the life of a child who struggles to eat and drink food normally.

"I feel that unique is the new normal these days," explained Kellee, who home schools her children and works as a stylist at Shear Attitude Salon in Thompson Falls, "and people want to hear stories of success, especially when it comes to children."

Creating awareness is nothing new to Kellee, she recently finished her second children's book on the subject, "A Very Tubie Christmas." It comes on the heels of her award-winning book, "My Belly Has Two Buttons," that landed second place in the Purple Dragonfly awards for advocacy of children with disabilities. Last year she was able to do a reading of the book to Mrs. Pavlik's first grade class at Thompson Falls Elementary.

Her feeding tube-dependent son is the main character of the book, who represents all children with the condition and helps other children understand their altered lifestyle and quell any misconceptions and fears of the condition.

"I used writing to help me understand the hard parts of my life," shared Kellee, "but it has also become a simplified way to answer any questions people have about the condition." Kellee feels that every time we meet someone who has a disability or a special life, it makes the world better.

"Once we have an understanding of a disability, we meet others who may have the same condition and we become a part of their support system, it connects you in a way nothing else can," said Kellee. "Because of awareness for this condition, people understand why our families party hard when a tubie succeeds in trying a new food or drink." The milestone may seem small to some, but it is a sign of success in the tube-feeding world where new food and drink cannot be forced as the dangerous side effects that caused the condition in the first place.

For Kellee, her husband Nick, and two daughters, Nico's journey has been a series of successes, struggles, triumphs and perseverance. While the feeding tube life has become normal for them, Kellee hopes awareness can be raised for this and all disabilities to allow the most stable environments and communities possible for those affected.

There was no one better to author these books (illustrated by Rebecca Robertson) than the parent of a child who has been in the trenches of the feeding tube life and enjoying the successes by having a stable, healthy kid who is active and happy despite all the struggles that come along with a disability such as his.

"Nico loves meeting other kids," said Kellee. "I know he'll be very excited to meet or read about someone who has two belly buttons, just like him," said Kellee, "we all want to belong somewhere and with some group of people. It is human nature to want someone who just understands." And so, her crusade for awareness continues.

For more information or a glimpse into the books and feeding tube life, visit the author's page at facebook.com/meikele.lee/.