Credits: BBC
At just 4 years old, Victoria Wright was diagnosed with cherubism, a rare genetic condition that causes abnormal bone growth in the face. For Victoria, the condition was so severe that it threatened her eyesight. A quick emergency surgery allowed her to maintain her eyesight, but it also set her off on a lifelong journey of a different sort: one of life in a world that could not see past an imperfect notion of her appearance.
Throughout elementary and high school, she made it through experiences of bullying and horrible stares. Even just going in public, strangers would shout at her. The unique “disease” shaped her face and made her a target, not as a victim, but as a caricature.
She didn’t let it crush her, though. She turned it into strength.
Now 50, she has become an important voice for people with rare diseases, speaking to combat stigma so that there’s less of an opportunity for rejection and fostering the acceptance that starts with her! She reminds us all that what makes us different is often the source of our greatest resilience.
Nature can be strange. Humanity can be cruel. But stories like Victoria's remind us how wild the human spirit can be at both ends of the spectrum.
References:
https://en.newsner.com/news/victoria-wright-cherubism-genetic-condition-chin-picture-today/