Vascular Anomalies Alliance

09/02/2026

✂️What kiddo wouldn’t love to make a scrapbook about themselves!?🖍️ We LOVE Ava_therunner handmade back to school photo book that she took to school to talk about her in the day! This is another great way to personalize your story to share with your child’s teacher or classmates during this season! Find more resources and ideas just like this at www.vascularally.org/birthmark-at-school-resources📚

08/24/2026

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Family’s like the Pedrick family are who we run and walk for. today we are highlighting a special kiddo from the birthmark community meet Walker. His family just joined the Miles For Vascular Anomalies Run walk Club. Please take a moment to read his inspiring story.

Walker is a silly and energetic 2 and a half year old. He was born with a vascular malformation and a mosaic BRAF gene mutation, an extremely rare condition that causes rapid vascular tumor growth on his face, eyelid and scalp.

In just two short years, Walker has undergone 11 surgeries to remove over 18 bleeding tumors and has trialed 6 different medications in the search for effective treatment. He now takes daily oral cancer medication, which thankfully has prevented new tumors from developing for the last 10 months.

While most toddlers are busy exploring the world, Walker is courageously facing challenges that no child should have to endure.

Despite everything, he continues to show us what strength, resilience, and joy truly look like.

We are sharing Walker’s journey to raise awareness and help others learn about vascular anomalies.

Next year, we will travel to Italy for a promising new treatment, needleless electrosclerotherapy, which can treat the affected tissue directly and hopefully allow Walker to come off daily oral cancer medication.

08/20/2026

MFVA Members!!!!! Starting on Thursdays there will be a 3 mile run walk challenge! To participate RSPV on our Strava Club . If you have not joined our Strava Club, click on the link below to join. https://strava.app.link/bjT7bcO4J5b

08/19/2026

☀️Sun protection is key 🔑 especially for us with vascular birthmarks. 📚In our editable back to school handout, we break down how we handle sun protection daily during recess and outdoor activities for teachers and staff. We also have a running list of favorite hats and sun screens we enjoy. Check it out here or in our bio!
🔗 https://www.vascularally.org/birthmark-at-school-resources

08/12/2026

Polka Dot-ers

We have raised a little over $250 in just 1 day and we cannot thank you all enough!!!

Please continue to share our posts with your friends, family and community!!!

One way your funds are used is to help families with giving them resources when they are starting their birthmark journey.

Vascular Anomalies Alliance is proud to support families by:
- offering a community of parents and individuals who understand what they are going through first hand
- offering families books and other materials to share with their own communities to increase awareness
- offering medical professionals a scholarship to attend conferences and clinics around the world to continue their education on vascular anomalies *this allows us to ensure that new medical professionals are educated by the best of the best to limit any potential lapses in care or access*

When Meghana was 5 months old, in this picture, we were scared and confused. Our birthmark community held space for us and we are thrilled to be able to do the same for the next family who is just starting this wild ride!

Please help us and join us in continuing to be a safe and reliable place for the birthmark community.

Help us achieve our goal of reaching $11,000 in honor of our (would have been) 11th year of the Purple Polka Dot Race!

Donate $11 here today: https://www.vascularally.org/donate

Thank you Polka Dot-ers!!! We love you!

08/12/2026

📚It is back 2 school season—one of the best ways to introduce your child’s birthmark, especially before a laser treatment, is by bringing or donating a birthmark book to your new classroom. There are so many great ones, but these are the few our children enjoy! What ones need added to our growing list?
🔗 Find this & more here: https://www.vascularally.org/birthmark-at-school-resources

08/11/2026

Hi Polka Dot-ers!!!

We know this past weekend must have been strange for all of you as well without our annual Sunday morning together!!!

We missed you all so much and are so thankful for your kind words, supportive comments and understanding for our need to take a pause for this year!!

Many of you have asked how you can still support the Vascular Anomalies Alliance mission...well here we go!

It would have been our 11th Annual Purple Polka Dot Race but now we are turning it into the Purple Polka Dot RAISE!

Our goal is to:
- Raise awareness
- Raise our heart rates safely
- Raise funds to support the VAA mission

If any or all of these goals interest you - JOIN US!!!

Share photos of how you are helping educate your community
Share photos of you walking, running, rolling, strolling
Share our donation link https://www.vascularally.org/donate

Help us raise $11,000 for our 11th year so we can continue to help families and individuals with vascular birthmarks!!

Polka Dot-ers, you always show up for the birthmark community and we are forever grateful for your unwavering support.

Please feel free to share our PPD Raise and let's see if we achieve our fundraising goals together!!!

08/05/2026

📚The majority of us are facing or are currently BACK TO SCHOOL! 🏫 That means another year to introduce your new teacher and school staff to your child’s Vascular Birthmark and all the things that come with keeping your child healthy. We have pulled together some AMAZING resources for you all to use for back to school—educational materials, tips, links to our favorite items, and more. Stay tuned for more back to school themed post and reels this month! 🍎
‼️🚨➡️Find all you need here: www.vascularally.org/birthmark-at-school-resources
As always, REACH out to us here or by email with any other questions or needs!

08/04/2026

✈️ We are proud to report that your donations to VAA have already helped send 7 individuals/families to travel to the care they deserve and need for their vascular birthmarks this calendar year—And we won’t stop there! We are eager to continue to support this community to lessen the financial burden of traveling to an expert for care.
🔗 Visit www.vascularally.org/travelgrant for more information!