The Mothering and Albinism project has six student interns for 2023-2024, three from Ghana and three from Canada (to read about them, click here). While they have been busy contributing to our research on a video analysis on mothers and carers’ experiences on the birth of a baby with albinism (forthcoming paper), they have also been engaging with some of our team members through our Meet the Author/Advocate Seminars. These seminars allow our students the opportunity to read works related to albinism specifically by our team members. The students read 2-3 articles in preparation, and come to our seminars with questions for our guests. Our guests share their unique stories on how they have come to be involved in the albinism research and/or advocacy.
I am so grateful for the generosity of our Authors/Advocates in meeting with the interns. The interns gained so much by hearing first-hand stories from esteemed researchers and advocates. From Dr. Kromberg they learnt about pioneering research over many years. From Emma Strobell they learnt about a masters thesis that contributed enormously to our Mothering & Albinism program, and from Kwame Daklo they learnt about advocacy strategies that have global impact.
– Dr. Sheryl Reimer-Kirkham, project team lead
Meet with Author Seminar One
On November 20th, 2023, our first guest was Dr. Jennifer Kromberg, a well-known and highly respected researcher on albinism. Dr. Kromberg was the first to conduct research on mothers who have given birth to a baby with albinism. She has since published numerous academic articles on albinism including publishing a book entitled Albinism in Africa. She is a genetics counsellor and researcher in South Africa.
- Determining a Worldwide Prevalence of Oculocutaneous Albinism: A Systematic Review (2023)
- Oculocutaneous albinism in southern Africa: Historical background, genetic, clinical and psychosocial issues (2022)
Meet with Author Seminar Two
During the second seminar on January 16th, 2024, we were joined by Emma Strobell, a Public Health Nurse in Canada. She was our first Project Coordinator and her Master’s thesis was the pilot study for our research on Mothering and Albinism.
- Exploring the experience of mothers who have children with albinism in Tanzania: A critical ethnography (Master’s thesis, 2020)
- Mothering, albinism and human rights: The disproportionate impact of health-related stigma in Tanzania (2020)
Meet with Advocate Seminar Three
Kwame Andrews Daklo was our guest during the third “Meet the Author/Advocate” seminar on June 4th, 2024. He is a person with albinism from Ghana and is a human rights, albinism, and disability advocate. Kwame is the Advocacy Manager for Africa Albinism Network.
Mothering & Albinism 
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