VIDEO: He Took the Perfect Photo of Her But When He Looked Down He Was Shocked

it’s not easy to be just a little bit different in a world that sets a model and expects everyone to fit in it.

If you are just a little bit overweight you will be bullied, so it is if you have a big forehead or nose and other such things.

So if you are at a young age and have a condition that is truly rare then you will feel even more ostracized.

You will want to hide the thing that makes you different because you feel that is the thing that makes you ugly.

People couldn’t be more far from the truth but without proper support they might never get out of their shell and be able to accept themselves.

According to people.com, at the age of 15, Meagan Barnard got the devastating news that she had lymphedema, a rare, incurable disease that caused extreme swelling in her right leg due to damaged lymph nodes.

Lymphedema not only affected Barnard’s self-esteem, but it impacted her ability to do the things that she loved.

Taking care of her leg is something that requires her constant attention on a daily basis.

Barnard wears a compression garment while at work as an administrative assistant, and then uses a pump when she gets home to loosen and move the fluid in her leg.

She then puts a compression garment back on, and wraps her legs in sheets of foam at night.

Barnard said she was teased throughout high school for her condition, so when she moved from her hometown of Superior, Wisconsin, to Minneapolis three years ago, she decided to keep her lymphedema a secret.

This past summer, Barnard came across a quote that inspired her to share her personal story and struggle.

“In July, I read a quote that said, ‘The world changes in direct proportion to the number of people willing to be honest about their lives,’ ” says Barnard.

“I realized that by hiding my lymphedema, I am not benefiting myself or anyone else that is dealing with this condition.

I’d like to think that being open and honest about who I am will make a difference to someone with lymphedema or any physical ailment.”

Revealing her lymphedema has given Barnard a new sense of freedom.
“I feel that by opening up about my condition, I am finally able to express my true self,” she says.

“I have dealt with the depression, physical exhaustion and self-doubt that came from having lymphedema for the past decade, and I don’t want to go through that for the next one.”

Now, Barnard is raising funds for a series of surgeries that she hopes will alleviate her lymphedema, and change her life for the better.

She will need a liposuction procedure, a lymph node transfer and a lymphaticovenous anastomosis procedure (to help drain the lymphatic fluids properly) – costing a total of $44,000 – to correct the swelling in her leg.

“After surgery, the hopes for my life are endless,” says Barnard.

“Having this surgery would give me the opportunity to dance again, play basketball without being in pain, and even just the ability to wear a pair of boots to endure the cold winters in Minnesota.

Having surgery to correct my lymphedema will give me a whole new life.”