VIDEO: Everyone is Shocked When They See Her Face, But This Doesn’t Stop Her
Victoria Wright is a strong and wonderful woman. She was diagnosed with cherubism when she was just a child and this changed her entire life. The condition makes it so that she has extra tissue on her face, making it look deformed.
While most people stare at her, even if not in a mean way, she has learned to live with her condition and she is constantly trying to help others like her by raising awareness.
According to Wikipedia, cherubism is a rare genetic disorder that causes prominence in the lower portion in the face.
The disease is usually diagnosed when dental abnormalities are found. These abnormalities include premature deciduous teeth and abnormal growth of permanent teeth due to displacement by cysts and lesions. The only definite way to correctly diagnose the disease is by sequence analysis of the SH3BP2 gene. The gene has been found to have missense mutation in exon 9. Initial study of the patient is usually conducted using x-ray and CT scans. Neurofibromatosis may resemble Cherubism and may accompany the disease. Genetic testing is the final diagnosis tool.
Because this disease is genetically linked, genetic counseling may be the only way to decrease occurrences of Cherubism. The lack of severe symptoms in the parents may be the cause of failure in recognizing the disorder. The optimal time to be tested for mutations is prior to having children. The disease results from a genetic mutation, and this gene has been found to spontaneously mutate. Therefore, there may be no prevention techniques available.
Read Victoria Wright’s full story below, provided by GagMag.
When she was a little girl, Victoria Wright’s mother noticed her teeth were growing strangely out of place. Soon after, Victoria was diagnosed with cherubism at the age of four, a rare facial disfigurement caused by an overgrowth of fibrous tissue in the face.
Instead of having the normal amount of bone in her face, Victoria has extra tissue. This condition is mostly cosmetic but causes eye strain, headaches and jaw pain.
At first, doctors said Victoria’s jaw would stop growing. But the older she grew, the more visible her condition became — which made her adolescence even more difficult to navigate. But she’s a kind, confident and happy woman, and Victoria has learned to deal with the constant stares in the most incredible way.
“I’ve learned the best thing for me to do, if I notice somebody staring at me, is to look at them and smile at them,” Victoria says. “Just because somebody is looking at me doesn’t necessarily mean they’re looking at me in a bad way.”
Today, Victoria works as a disability and face equality campaigner and writer.
She lives with her husband and their daughter, and documents their life on her blog, “Not Just A Funny Face.”
After meeting her in the video below, courtesy of NHS, it’s easy to see why Victoria continues to be flooded with messages of support.
Victoria is just another great example of why we should be more accepting of our differences.
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