“Wiпry’s Inspiring Journey: Embracing Uniqueness and Spreading Joy with a Rare Birthmark”
Nicole Lυcas Hall, a loving mother of two, proudly shares her story of raising her children, Asher and daughter Winry. Winry, now 13 months old, was born with a rare birthmark that covers a fourth of her face.
Recalling the moment they first saw their daughter, Nicole and her husband were initially confused and concerned for her safety, as they had never seen such a birthmark before. Nicole said, “When they first handed her to me, I thought it was a bruise. It then quickly became apparent to my husband and me that it was not a bruise. And like the same, I thought it looked a lot like a mole.” They assumed it was something dangerous, but the doctors quickly reassured them. Winry was born with a rare congenital melanocytic nevus, with a prevalence estimated at around 1 in 50,000 births. They were relieved to know that the birthmark was most likely purely aesthetic, and any health risks would be on par with other birthmarks or moles.
Instead of being saddened by her daughter’s circumstances, Nicole utilized the power of social media to promote awareness and encourage others that being “different” is a superpower. She said, “For a lot of people, this is the first time seeing a birthmark like hers, and that’s part of why I enjoy sharing. This is a good conversation for parents with their children to see kids have differences, or for those parents who do have a kid that looks like Winry or has any kind of a birthmark to see their child represented. Her health and happiness are our top priority. We have to monitor her with sunscreen. I’m careful with hats and that sort of thing. I know our regular dermatology appointment is probably going to be our best friend growing up.”
Despite their initial concerns, they have been overwhelmed by the compassion of those who have learned about Winry’s journey. Asher, Winry’s older brother, is a true, helpful, and sweet sibling. According to Nicole, he is wonderfully unaware that there is anything ‘different’ about her. He knows she has a birthmark on her face, but that is nothing more different to him than having different eye colors.
Every single day, Nicole and her husband do everything they can to protect and raise Winry and her brother to be confident in all of their strengths and features. As important as it is for them to constantly check on Winry’s health, they are also concerned about how others might perceive or judge her.
Winry was the first person in the family to have this birthmark, and her uniqueness is what truly sets her apart. Nicole said, “She just radiates joy. She’s almost always laughing or shrieking. She is just the happiest baby I have ever seen. She’s a big talker already. We haven’t got a whole lot of words out, but she tells you like it is, and she’s already getting a little bit of sassiness, so I think we’re gonna have a lot on our hands. We’ve got to talk to several people from Brazil with birthmarks. One of them has one that is almost identical to Winry, and it’s been so fun to talk to her because she’s almost exactly my age.”
