Profile of a Clinical Pharmacist and Children’s Author: Colleen Dixon
Today we profile Colleen Dixon, a UK clinical pharmacist who also happens to be the author of the hottest new book aimed at young children from a BAME background.
Colleen is from Birmingham and comes from an Afro-Caribbean background. With an interest in helping people from all backgrounds optimise their potential, she holds a Master of Pharmacy degree (MPharm) and is a UK-registered pharmacist. She also has a postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy and is a qualified independent prescriber. She has worked in secondary and primary care across a number of hospitals and GP practices in the North-West of England and the Midlands.
However, her latest achievement is exceptional, especially in the context of the current raised awareness about racial inequalities and the #blacklivesmatter movement. Colleen has just published a book, aimed at children from the ages of two upwards, entitled, “Coco Loves Her Curly Hair.” Some images from the book are shown in the gallery below.
The synopsis of the book reads as follows:
“Coco loves her curly hair is an inspirational children’s book written to inspire children early in life to be unapologetically who they are and to celebrate their own differences and the uniqueness and differences of others. This book encourages young minds to love and accept themselves and others and to know that they are perfect just the way they are.”
Having read the book ourselves, our view is that the book is appropriate for this demographic. In the midst of the usual avalanche of bad news, particulaly on the race front, it is refreshing to read a book that focuses on positive lessons geared towards enhancing the self-worth of black kids. Although the main character is a girl, the book should appeal to girls and boys alike. It will also appeal to those from a different background and help them appreciate the beauty of black hair.
As of the 28th of June, 2020, the book has hit Amazon.co.uk No.1 on the best sellers list and is trending in America as the No. 1 Hot New release on Amazon.com for baby and toddler.
You may grab yourself a copy on Kindle or Paperback. For the UK store, the links are as follows:
Alongside the book, Colleen is also planning to publish a number of related resources such as colouring books and sequels. You may follow the publishing pages for the books and associated resources on Facebook and Instagram.
We look forward to welcoming Colleen to our podcast in the near future; when she will tell us more about her publications and what motivates her to do what she does.
