“My Mom is a Thalidomide Survivor”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxiDQKd7-JM

…

My mom, Carolyn Jean Grover has always been my biggest role model.

She’s smart, patient, funny, optimistic, hard-working, supportive, and the best Mom I could ever ask for.

Besides owning the label of “Mother,” she’s gone by many others throughout her life: Wife, Artist, Graphic Designer, Marketing Specialist, Activist, and… Thalidomide Survivor.

My Mom was born with very debilitating birth defects that were caused after her Mother took “vitamins” from a doctor to help alleviate morning sickness. These “vitamins” are now known to have been the drug “Thalidomide.”

Thalidomide was given to many doctors in the US and around the World before it was even approved by the FDA. These doctors, not knowing the drug’s dangers, gave it to dozens of pregnant American women…

While other countries acknowledged what is dubbed “The Thalidomide Tragedy,” drug companies and doctors in the US denied that it ever happened.

My Mom’s disability aside, I believe she has a very special outlook on life. She’s always able to see things in a positive light.

Of course, people aren’t just born with positive mindsets – her sound mental health as well as the supportive people around her helped to keep her on the right path. 

For other Thalidomide Survivors though, many were not as fortunate — Being raised in discriminatory environments, getting bullied, needing endless surgeries to live pain-free, suffering from severe depression and anxiety — these are common stories among the US Survivors.

…

My Mom directed and edited a film that focuses on the forgotten Thalidomide Survivors of the United States.

“Thalidomide in the USA: The Forgotten Survivors” releases on June 28th, 2023. The film pulls a lot of information from – and will be released the day after – the long-awaited exposé “Wonder Drug” by Jennifer Vanderbes.

Subscribe to be notified of the film’s release: C. Jean Grover Productions

Pre-order “Wonder Drug”: Jennifer Vanderbes’ website

…

I told my Mom I wanted to interview her so I could edit together a short promo video for her film… even from the start, that wasn’t my plan… I wanted to make a full-blown short documentary on her life and everything that led up to the release of her film. 

She doesn’t know that I interviewed some of the closest people to her – including her Mother, one of her lifelong friends and all of her children (my siblings).

I hope you like it, Mom. Lol. 

Love you, Happy Mothers Day.

“My Mom is a Thalidomide Survivor”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxiDQKd7-JM