Please Mum Store Hosts Canadian Author Cindy O’Neil for Reading of Her Kids Book Icicle Hands and Icicle Knees

What better way to celebrate releases of a 2nd Edition and French language version of a kids book that was inspired by Rheumatoid Arthritis than with a store that caters to kids. Canadian writer Cindy O’Neil loves synchronicity, so she chose Canadian children’s clothes retailer Please Mum as the partner for her book signing events. June 19th Cindy will be at the Please Mum store in Georgetown Market Place, 280 Guelph Street, to sign copies of her book and donate a portion of proceeds from each copy sold to The Arthritis Society.

Enter to win a ‘Please Mum outfit for your child’, Free colouring pages provided.

Her RA experience was the inspiration for this children’s book. “When my illness was at its worst I was constantly freezing,” O’Neil says. “One night while huddled in a tight ball trying to stop the shivers I said to myself ‘I have icicle hands’, and put them between my knees for warmth. Jolted by the temperature of my own skin I exclaimed, ‘Oh, I have icicle knees too’. Unconsciously I chuckled ‘Icicle hands and Icicle knees, won’t you help me warm them up please?’ Poof, the rest of the story flashed before my eyes.”

Nearly 4.5 Million people of every age and ethnic background in Canada are affected by arthritis. “You don’t have to be old to have arthritis,” says O’Neil. “It is an excruciatingly painful and virtually invisible illness that can strike at any age without notice. The Icicle Hands story book is a means to convey that to people in a positive way. ”

A recent request illustrates that people are getting the message. In February O’Neil received an email from the mother of a 6th grader in Quebec who wanted to include the Icicle Hands book as part of his school project on arthritis. The boy’s mother wrote “His teacher is excited because someone thought to write to ‘their illness’ (for lack of a better word) to get more information. She is always encouraging the children to think outside the box. ”

Though her symptoms started in July 1999, Cindy wasn’t diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis until October 2001. Her writing styles include – children’s books and poetry, articles for magazines, haikus, poetry, songs and even word puzzles.

Both versions of the book are available on-line at www.iciclehands.net for $8.95 CDN.

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