Finding Dory is a Huge Win for Limb Difference Kids

Jordan found Nemo at the Big Blue Pool at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in December 2014.

There’s a new Finding Dory trailer out today! The movie is the next installment from Disney Pictures and Pixar about Dory, Nemo and their friends. We are beyond excited about a limb different fish making his return to the big screen!

The first Finding Nemo movie came out in 2003. Cameron was almost 14 months old, and we were focused on moving from Michigan to Missouri. But I made sure to see the movie. I was touched by the epic story and by the little fish who could do it all when he put his mind to it. Nemo’s “lucky fin” left a lasting mark on me.

We discovered Nemo-themed Mickey ears during our December 2014 visit to Walt Disney World Resort.

Flash to the end of March 2006 when I was returning to work and transitioning Jordan into daycare. I remember sitting in a circle with Cameron and his friends at preschool along with little baby Jordan as we talked about her limb difference. I remember quickly recalling Nemo as a way to help kids better understand how limb differences are a natural occurrence. Smaller children often have a harder time understanding a physical difference because they hadn’t seen it before. But then there’s a moment when they realized they have seen it in the form of Nemo. (Some adults have a hard time with it too. So, thank you, Nemo, for helping adults who may not understand physical differences as well.)

We lost the ease of explaining limb differences with Nemo as Jordan and Cameron got older. The 3D re-release of the movie helped a bit. But Finding Dory is a real revival. Kids and adults of all ages will be reintroduced to Nemo and friends. I’m extremely excited. Our whole family is looking forward to the movie.

And because June 17th can’t come fast enough, we kept our eyes out for the release of a new trailer on the Ellen Degeneres Show YouTube channel! I am not sure if The Walt Disney Company understands the gift it gave us with Nemo, but I’m looking forward to it extending with the help of Finding Dory.

Check out the new trailer: