Jennifer Dye Visscher, an imaginative artist, blogger, and social media health activist from Elizabeth, Colorado, started her year long journey on October 1, 2010 to create An Apple A Day as an original piece of art to promote and support others with the chronic disease known as Ankylosing Spondylitis. Over two hundred days of apples later, she has drawn a large following from around the country and the world with her beautiful art and her empathetic writing on her daily blog The Feeding Edge. Jenna describes it as a place where “art, a positive outlook, and health advocacy issues come together”.
Jenna reaches out to many organizations serving this population on the web in a truly unique way. Her content, commentary, and cultural references focus on the positives of dealing with chronic illness and builds a bridge to gain interest from outside the AS community by matching art to words and hopefully brings a touch of joy and creativity to lives every day.
Jenna is a power writer for The Fight Like a Girl Club and is published on WEGOHealth.com in the written word and via video. You can also watch her paint on her You Tube Channel and has recently joined with two other AS Warriors to create the Hope & Apples Campaign for AS Awareness month. Over 100 stories and apples were submitted as testimonials from over 8 countries in less than a month.
She welcomes all to her site whether a sufferer, partner or care giver, or a friend. Jenna would like all of us to band together to bring awareness and understanding; empathy and support; study and shared experiences to people with chronic disease in all its forms. She asks people to “Be part of the Story, Be part of the Cure!”
Did you catch me on WPIX TV?
http://www.wpix.com/news/morningnews/wpix-as-big-apple,0,1159185.story
Places to find Jenna Visscher
Twitter: @ArtAppleADay & @TheFeedingEdge
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jennifer-visscher/12/416/8aa
Blog: http://www.thefeedingedge.com/
The Feeding Edge Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/TheFeedingEdge
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/JennaVisscher
See the Apples on Flicker: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenna_visscher/
Apples For AS: http://www.applesforas.com
Hope & Apples Website: http://hopeandapples.com
Other places around the web!
AS Power Team Writer For The Fight Like A Girl Club: http://www.thefightlikeagirlclub.com/author/jenna/
WegoHealth: http://community.wegohealth.com/profile/JennaArtApple
WegoHealthBlog: http://blog.wegohealth.com/2011/02/17/guest-post-jenna-from-art-apple-a-day-gives-a-health-activist-take-on-last-nights-rxsave-chat/
The Brave Discussion: http://thebravediscussion.com/2011/09/self-healing-through-stories-and-art-jenna-visschers-365-journey-to-happiness/
World AS Day: http://www.worldasday.com/2011/05/real-stories%E2%80%A6-real-people-my-physio-was-vital-to-my-spondylitis-treatment-plan/
Apple Art on the 2010 Spondylitis Association of America Annual Report!
To contact me please email me at jenna [at] artappleaday [dot] com or 303-478-9985.
I love your work.
Thank you so much Tricia – Live Strong and Stand Tall!
Hey Jennifer:
I love your work too!
Wow…You are WAY talented!
Never lose your smile!
Paul
Hi Jenna,
I’d love to write a post about you on my blog! Your project is just amazing. If you’re interested, will you e-mail me? I have some questions.
Thanks so much 🙂
As I lay here tonite in horrible pain, I found your website. We have so much in common, which makes me feel less alone. Thanks for doing what you do!
Kristina, I’m so glad you found me! My heart aches when I hear about someone in pain from AS. You aren’t alone – I look forward to hearing from you and getting to know you. Feel free to email me anytime and sign up for the daily email newsletter so that each morning you have the new Apple delivered to your inbox. Please take good care of yourself. Jenna
Jenna- I am just catching on that you suffer from AS. That shows you how out of it I have been lately! All these months I thought maybe it was one of your parents. When you have a chance fill me in on your story. What an inspiration you are!! Love to you
KIM
I have been suffering with AS for about 5 years and really had not known that many people suffered from it. It was very difficult and lonely during the really painful periods. It is an inspiration to know that you are doing something so profound and wonderful! Love the art!!!
Thank you Sabrina! I really appreciate the support and words of encouragement. My hope is that more people know about this horrible disease so that we don’t have to say “well, it’s like RA” or even worse hide the fact that we’re dealing with it – like I did for so many years. Every apple and every day hopefully get us all closer to understanding. Best, Jenna
Hi there, Jenna V!
Thanks so much for getting in touch yesterday & letting me know about your awesome apple art project! How cool that we’re both Jennas on apples for a year. I hope you enjoy my healthy recipes & other creative ideas! I’m certainly enjoying your beautiful, apple-inspired art.
Yesterday was my Day 50 & it features YOU and your Day 3 apple. Love it!!!
http://apples365.com/jennas-daily-apple-day-50-art-apple/
Love & Apples!
Jenna Norwood
Jenna,
I think it’s amazing! And thank you so much for the blog post – awareness requires stepping outside of our communities which is sometimes a bit scary. You were gracious and non-judgmental – I can’t wait to feature you and your site – stay tuned! Jenna
I can’t wait to hear your story, Jenna!
Jennifer – I know I need to sit down and write it but I haven’t been quite ready. But, soon.
Its a wonderful thing you are doing Jenna. Best wishes and thank you so much …..
Thank you Terry – it means so much to me that you commented. Take good care of you!
Jenna
Jenna…You are an amazing inspiration to all of us who need the strength and motivation to stand up to AS. I’ve had AS for over 15 years and everyday I wake up and tell myself I can do this and keep going…Thanks for all your wonderful words and apples.
Becca – You don’t know how much I needed your kind and supportive words today. Thank you so very, very much!
Big Soft Hugs!
Jenna
Jenna: I have commented before … But particularly *this* day {when pain and neuropathy bring my movement to a halt} I am grateful — and so encouraged — by your inspirations here at The Feeding Edge.
Gentle Hugs
~Teresa ♥
A beautiful and inspiring project, thank you for all your hard work that you are doing to make our lives understood by others.
thank you for your efforts. you are a good and delicate woman.
Great website Jennifer! Great art work, and fantastic awareness site for AS. You have a lot of will power to do an artwork a day. I hope to “arrive” at that place, sometime, someday…