Dreams Coming True is a Thursday feature on my blog, a way to highlight those whose goal is to create community. The dream might be a blog, a published book, a small business, volunteering, or even fundraising for a charity. Something that makes the world a better place . . . for others.

Congratulations to the winner of the last Dreams Coming True, CLAUDIA. Please email info {at} suzannewoodsfisher {dot} com to claim your prize.

Welcome Heidi Bond, author of Who’s the New Kid?, to Dreams Coming True! Leave a comment on this post to enter to win a copy of Who’s the New Kid?.

Tell us a little about yourself:

I am the mother of two beautiful children, Breanna and Nathan Bond. I am 41 years old and blessed enough to be a stay-at-home mom. Breanna is the most amazing girl you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting. She is caring, compassionate, and is always willing to help others. She is also an athlete. She swims competitively, plays water polo and is a cheerleader. It is our mission to share our story to help others. Our message is simple: obesity is not a permanent. Change is possible and you can start today.

 

How did this project get started?

I knew I had to share our story with the world so people could see that change can and will happen in less time than you might think.

What makes your project stand out from the crowd?

When Breanna was nine, she was 186 pounds, she lost 40% of her body weight in a little over a year without any help from medical professionals. I developed a plan and it worked.

What are the goals and intentions of this project?

To show the world that change is possible and can happen in less time than you might think.

How does your project create community?

Our story shows people that they are not alone. And there are a whole bunch of other families dealing with the same struggles.

Many have creative ideas but trouble following through with them. What advice would you give to creative types who start projects eagerly…but then enthusiasm drizzles off?

If you have a passion, follow it with all your heart and never give up. Through persistence, goods thing will happen.

How many are involved in the process? Does each contributer have a specific role?

It is a family effort.

What’s been the hardest part about getting it off the ground?

The hardest thing was the start of our journey. I had no idea what I was doing but I knew what I was doing was working. My plan developed over time through trial and error.

What have you learned?

Never give up. No matter what other people say and do around you, never give up.

Have there been any unexpected surprises?

Breanna’s story is inspiring a nation. If someone would have told me three years ago that Breanna would beat obesity and we would inspire a nation, I never who have believed them. I was just as lost as anyone.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about starting your project?

In the middle of our journey, someone said to me in a not so kind tone, “Don’t you think you are being too hard?” I wanted to shout, “TOO HARD!?”

Too hard is hearing your daughter breathe like a freight train at night because her body couldn’t get sufficient oxygen. Too hard was watching the kids snicker at her when we walked the aisles of Target or entered a room. Too hard was knowing with certainty that she would develop a slew of serious medical conditions that would rob her of her health and insure an early death. Too hard was realizing that she’d miss out on the joys of being a teenager, as her average yearly weight gain of twenty pounds would put her at 300 pounds by the time she was in high school. Too hard was the statistic that an obese 16-year-old has the life expectancy thirteen years shorter than her thin friends. Too hard was coming to grips with the real possibility that I’d bury my own daughter. That is too hard. This is just a walk…

What are some ways you promote your project?

Talk Radio (local and national), IN-Touch Weekly Magazine, Facebook, Twitter, local newspapers and magazines.

Creating something is one skill. Marketing and promoting it is an entirely different skill set. How has that gone for you? Shocked by the amount of work marketing takes? Or pleasantly surprised?

That is the one thing about having one of the largest publishing houses in the world as your publisher. They have made marketing a breeze for me.

Any marketing mistakes you would avoid?

Make sure the organizations who promote your book have the same morales and values you hold.

What social network has worked best for you?

Facebook and Twitter.

What advice would you give someone else who has a creative dream like yours?

Never give up. You will have tons of rejection along the way—that is just part of the process. Don’t take it so personal.

Where do you see this project in five years?

Changing the lives of millions of kids and families everywhere and made into a major motion film.

What question do you wish that someone would ask about your creative dream, but nobody has?  

I wish with all Breanna’s publicity, Michelle Obama would of invited us to the White House. There is so much I would love to talk with her about regarding putting an end to childhood obesity.

Hopefully the more our story gets out, someday we will get that call.

[Tweet “No matter what other people say and do around you, never give up. @ChildObesity9”]

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