Parents always want to protect their children, and these parents felt the same way. Read on to see what they did for their daughter.
One in 20,000
When baby Vienna Brookshaw was born in April 2021, her mom, Celine Casey, was filled with happiness — but then she noticed something surprising.
Vienna, born in the U.K., had a dark mark between her eyebrows. Celine felt worried. Did something go wrong during the pregnancy?
Luckily, doctors told Celine the birthmark wasn’t harmful. Still, she worried it might affect her daughter’s feelings as she got older.
The rare birthmark was called congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN), which happens in only about 20,000 babies. It’s caused by a group of pigment cells that form before birth and usually grow over time.
Even though it wasn’t dangerous, the location on Vienna’s face could lead to stares, questions, and possibly hurtful comments from people who don’t think before speaking.
That’s when her parents made a big decision.
Vienna’s condition
Since the condition is rare, no one could say how big the birthmark would get as Vienna grew. Her mom didn’t want her to go through that.
Celine quickly asked doctors what could be done. She felt that if they didn’t remove the birthmark, Vienna might grow up feeling upset with them.
The worried mom said, “We love watching her grow, and we can’t wait for the day she can speak for herself and share her thoughts. We would love her no matter what, even if she still had the birthmark.”
Celine and her partner noticed early on that people were staring at their baby and treating her differently from other babies. This made them even more determined to have the birthmark removed.
The NHS (National Health Service) refused to do the surgery because it wasn’t considered necessary for the baby’s physical health. They saw it as a cosmetic procedure, not a medical need. So, the family started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for private surgery.
They raised $52,000 in just one day, but it still wasn’t enough. Hospital costs had gone up after the COVID-19 pandemic, and they needed another $27,000. So, they turned to GoFundMe again to cover the extra expenses.
Celine explained, “Everyone has things they feel insecure about, and the doctor understood that. He said it wouldn’t affect Vienna’s mental health right now, but we didn’t agree. She’s starting school at age three, and young kids often point out differences.”
Now, Vienna is three years old, and the birthmark has been fully removed. All that’s left is a small scar on her forehead. Her mom, Celine, often shares updates on her healing and says how beautiful her daughter is.
Even after the birthmark was removed, the couple went to London so the surgeon could check how well the scar had healed and see if Vienna needed any more surgeries after already having three. For now, she’s a healthy three-year-old and doesn’t need any more treatment!
We’re sending our best wishes to little Vienna and hope she stays happy and healthy. Feel free to share her story so others can learn about her journey too!