She knows your wondering about it; she can feel your glances and curious stares when you first look at her. She knows because you’re not the first person to stare at her like this and wonder what happened.
When she was a younger, she wore scarfs to cover it up because people would always stare, they would point, and nudge each other to look her way. Sometimes they would giggle and say, “wow, that’s quite the black eye you have there, I hope the other girl looks worse”.
She was born with a birthmark called Congenital Nevus that completely covered the right side of her face. A one in a million chance they said.
When she was just 3 years old skin extenders were inserted under the skin of her forehead and neck. These extenders gently stretched her skin to ease in new skin.
These skin extenders made their home under her skin off and on for 8 years. Once a week, she would be at the Stollery Hospital receiving fluid that was injected into the extenders. She has gone through many surgeries, skin grafts and transplants.
When you stare at her, what you don’t see or realize is how much she has endured. She wears her heart on her sleeve and she is the most kind, loving, strong and brave girl you will ever come to know if you realized she is more that what you see.
