I Wouldn't Leave The House - But I Accept My Birthmark Now | BORN DIFFERENT

DESPITE being born with a large birthmark on the left side of her face, this mum-of-two is now proving her high school bullies wrong. Chelsey Peat, 34, from Canada was born with a rare condition known as Sturge Weber syndrome. The neurological disorder means she has a large port wine stain birthmark covering the left side of her face and has a glaucoma in her eye. Chelsey’s condition has led to her undergoing multiple surgeries. This has included brain surgery, where surgeons removed the occipital lobe so Chelsey would stop having seizures as a child. Doctors told her parents that she had 50% chance of living, and 50% chance of mental instability if she did survive. Chelsey told Truly: “I beat all the statistics.” But Chelsey continued to face difficulties in her childhood, as she was targeted for her physical differences. “I didn't really have that social life; I didn't have that date for dances.” She has struggled with her mental health because of these experiences. “There were times when I didn't want to leave the house”, she said. In the video Chelsey goes for her first ever solo photoshoot. It’s something she’s always wanted to do but found it difficult to build up enough self-confidence in the past. Chelsey is an active member of Sturge Weber support groups on social media. “Being an ambassador for people with facial differences has given me the strength to do this,” she said. Now Chelsey has a different attitude towards those who fixate on her differences: “If you're going to stare, either ask for my autograph or take the damn picture.”