I am Visibly, "Different" & Proud!!

It is not often that I come out and speak about my condition, a condition called Neurofibromatosis (type 1) Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic condition that causes tumours to grow along your nerves.

I was born with this condition and grew up learning to live looking visibly 'different'. It is a term that was used by many people around me as I grew up. However as I grew to understand my body, I asked myself what is visibly 'different'? aren't we all different in our own way?

I have been fortunate enough to grow up celebrating how I look and embrace who I am, but that is not to say that I don't get stared at, walking down the road groups will regularly stare at me and sometimes I will notice them tapping their friend and just making a gesture to look towards me. I find it interesting that they are intrigued, and it's partly because we don't widely speak about facial deformities or what it means to live with the daily challenges. I believe social media, television and celebrities have a big role to play and there is a lot more that can be done.

I do have days where I look in the mirror and feel sorry for myself, but that isn't going to change who I am. Instead I try and change that into a positive, and just be me. I go about my day as a working individual who works in an incredible company which allows me to be myself without making me feel different.

The best way you can help or support anyone with disfigurement, is by not treating them differently. As we approach Face Equality Week, I just wanted to highlight the importance of inclusion, if there is anything you can take away after reading this it's; we are not different, we are all human we don't want to be or need to be treated differently.

Let us all embrace and celebrate who we are!!

You can read more about Face Equality week here: Face Equality Week - Face Equality International