Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, Director, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health: Your photographs are stunning and the stories behind them are powerful. You conveyed profound messages about stigmatization, self-acceptance, and the impact of a genetic condition on people’s lives. The enthusiasm you bring to Positive Exposure is infectious and the testimonials from the individuals you have worked with speak volumes about the affirmative impact you are having on people’s lives.

Hello Rick,

I attended your presentation about Positive Exposure at NAPNAP's conference in San Diego last week. I was really moved by your point of view at seeing beauty in all things. Your words reminded me of how important your message is not only to those people who have genetic conditions and have obvious phenotypic manifestations of those conditions, but also for those of us who are considered "normal." During my PNP studies we had lectures dedicated to body image and how important it is to reinforce a good body image especially to adolescents; it is an essential part of being healthy to feel good about yourself in your own skin. This is a struggle for everyone, of course more so with genetic conditions that make you look more obviously different. I was so glad the individuals you took pictures of got the chance to feel so special!

Thank you so much for the work you do. It is an important message for all of us.

Dominika Maglasang, RN, MS

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Dear Rick,

Thank you for your work.

I have a 4.5 year old son who brings a great deal of joy to my life. He is both albino and autistic, and is sometimes frustrating beyond words, but he's unusual for an autistic child in that snuggling brings him a great deal of joy. That and his infectious laugh bring all of us joy in return.

When he was first diagnosed with albinism we were utterly lost. Neither my husband nor I had any family members with the disability. We knew nothing about it. We were scared and we didn't know what to think.  Then we found the pictures from the Life photo essay on the web. How incredibly beautiful they were and are. They brought us hope. It was so good to see something positive after having heard nothing but grim prognosis after grim prognosis.
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"I did not see my disease in the photos that Rick took of me. I did not see devastation, limitations, or deficiencies. I saw a human being."
- Kathryn Arnoldi, Alpha One