Kiss of a Dolphin by Tom Tuohy

I went to Russia to work with handicapped children for a week a few years back. I went with a group of high school students from Arkansas. In Russia to be labeled handicapped can mean you are severely physically or emotionally handicapped or you could just be diagnosed with ADD. The result is the same; rejection and isolation in a society that deems you worthless. It is a tough label to wear. We worked with a group called Rostock. It was a co-op of mothers who banned together after the government change over in the early 1990's to insure their children were not forgotten by the new government and to provide a place where the children belonged. Many of the kids we worked with are not allowed in school but have learned to read and write under the care of the Rostock volunteers.

Rostock opens its doors weekdays for the kids to come and do activities. We discovered a group of very talented crafters when we visited. We accompanied the children and youth on day trips, had picnics and played games and sports with them. We went on home visits to children who were house bound. Our assignment was to engage the kids, hang out with them and love them. We did. We had a blast.

I thought of my experience in Russia when I read the book Kiss of a Dolphin. It was written to inspire compassion for the poor and the disabled children of our nation.

It is the story of how the organization Dreams for Kids got started and how it evolved. The author Tom Tuohy, President and Founder of Dreams for Kids hopes that when a person finishes the book they will have asked the questions, "what can I do to make a difference, what can I do to change the world one life at a time?"

Tuohy also challenges the reader to view the handicapped as people with a desire to participate fully in society. Our attitudes towards the handicapped can be as powerful an agent for isolation as not having the right equipment or funds for equipment to overcome obstacles in life. A handicapped child living in poverty in a building without handicapped access is fated to live within the walls of his home. During the long summer months, he or she may rarely go outside those walls. That when Dreams for Kids is the most active providing camp and outdoors sports activities. Dreams for Kids seeks to eliminate the isolation that exists in the lives of handicapped children and as well as opening doors of opportunity for kids handicapped by poverty.

The book tells the story by telling the story of those who inspired Tuohy and helped make Dreams for Kids more than a dream. They are delightful vignettes of men and women who have learned that the secret of joy is to give yourself away. He explains how these men and women came into his life at just the right time and in a way that no man could orchestrate, but can only be explained by the Divine.
An encounter with a Dolphin while on vacation with J.J. Conner, a handicapped man and another traveling companion became an emblem for the organization Dreams for Kids.

Dolphins are extraordinary mammals. It was during a Spring Break in Mexico that Tuohy witnessed Conner's encounter with a dolphin; first perplexity and then an acceptance kiss from the mammal. The trip to Mexico with J.J. had opened Tuohy's eyes to how Dreams for Kids could help break down barriers for handicapped children. Tuohy learned that through sports activities adapted for special needs children their lives could be changed by changing how they view themselves. Acceptance and encouragement are powerful tools. A day on the lake in adaptive ski gear for a child who has never seen a lake is life changing. It says "the world is mine too and I belong."

Tuohy shares many of the lessons his mentors taught him. One of which is to help others as you have been helped yourself. Dreams for Kids volunteers are made up of many of the people the organization has helped in the past.

I recommend this book for anyone who works with kids, especially special need kids. I recommend it to the parents of special needs kids to help educated people in their child's sphere of influence. I recommend it to people who are challenged to make a difference in the world but are not sure if they can or do not understand how it can be done.