Annie’s daughter, Mikyla, has Rett Syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects only girls. You can read more about what Rett Syndrome is here…. but, some of the more noticeable symptoms are loss of purposeful movement of the hands and the ability to speak. Mikyla’s parents, Robert and Annie, have worked tirelessly advocating for their daughter and other girls with Rett Syndrome, and created a non-profit that raises money to fund research to find a cure….. www.mikyla-cure.org. You can go there to learn more about Mikyla, about Rett, and to donate to help make the cure happen for these girls and their families.
You can see more images from my day with Annie and Mikyla here.
notes girls write 
I recognized a familiar face when reading this story. I haven’t seen Annie for about 15 years, and am glad she’s well. My heart goes out to little Mikyla – she’s beautiful like her mother and has an angelic smile. My wife Lyn and I will keep Mikyla and the Smith family in our thoughts, and we pray that a cure for Rett’s Syndrome is discovered very soon.