May 28, 2021
In this episode of The Journey of my Mother’s Son podcast, I sit down and talk with Jeff Woytovich, founder of the Children’s Alopecia Project.
Jeff and I have known each other for a little over ten years now. He is one of my best friends and we share a passion for helping others, especially kids.
Jeff started the Children’s Alopecia Project (CAP) in 2003 when his daughter, Maddie started to lose her hair. After going through a rollercoaster of emotions, Jeff felt that it was important to create a support group for other kids and families who were also dealing with alopecia.
What started out as a few families in the Philadelphia region has now grown to an international nonprofit organization that has helped countless children, and their families understand that it’s ok to be different.
CAP’s mission is simple:
Children’s Alopecia Project Our Mission:
- To help any child in need who is living with hair loss due to all forms of Alopecia.
We do so by:
- Changing the emphasis from growing hair to growing confidence.
- Building self-esteem in children living with alopecia.
- Providing support for them and their families.
- Raising awareness about the life-altering disease.
The organization currently holds several CAP Camps throughout the country where families can get together and share their experiences.
The organization also sponsors the CAP2U School Library Program, which is a program through which the Children’s Alopecia Project purchases library books about alopecia and being different and donates the books to school libraries when Jeff speaks at your child’s school. According to parents, librarians, principals, and CAP Kids, our CAP2U Library Program benefited children in the following ways:
- By teaching children within the school about alopecia areata, thus answering questions, eliminating uncertainty about the nature and unpredictability of the hair loss disease, and ultimately reducing the potential for bullying.
- By raising awareness about alopecia areata, particularly when children within the school check the books out of the library and take them home to share with their families and friends.
- By building self-esteem in children living with alopecia areata because the donation of books is coming from them, thus bringing them positive attention.
Additionally, Jeff travels the country speaking at schools and to other organizations to help raise awareness of alopecia through the organization’s CAP2U Tours. He again brings a simple message that helps kids to understand that it’s ok to be different and that it’s our differences that make us perfect.