A Special Journey.Celine Casey, a parent from the United Kingdom, went above and beyond to safeguard and assist her daughter, Vienna Brookshaw.
Vienna, who was born in April 2021, had a birthmark on her forehead situated between her eyebrows.
Although the birthmark, called congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN), wasn’t harmful to Vienna’s health, Casey was concerned about how it could affect her emotionally as she got older.
A Rare Condition.CMN is a rare condition where a baby is born with a harmless group of pigment cells. As the child grows, these cells can potentially increase in size. Worried about her daughter’s future challenges, Casey quickly consulted doctors to discuss ways of removing the birthmark, fearing that Vienna might hold resentment towards her parents later on.
Casey, a very loving mother, said, “We treasure every step of Vienna’s progress and eagerly look forward to the day she can communicate her own ideas. We would support her wholeheartedly, even if the birthmark stayed.”The Need for Approval.Casey wanted to remove Vienna’s birthmark because she saw how uncomfortable it made her baby feel when people stared at her.
She noticed that people treated Vienna differently than other babies, which made her even more determined to have the birthmark removed.Overcoming Obstacles.At first, the National Health Service (NHS) rejected Casey’s surgery request, stating that it was not necessary for their physical well-being but rather cosmetic.
However, Casey remained determined and initiated a fundraising campaign to collect the required funds from kind-hearted donors. Remarkably, within a day, the campaign managed to raise an impressive $52,000. Regrettably, due to the escalated hospital expenses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they still required an extra $27,000 for the surgery.
They sought additional help and resorted to GoFundMe once more to fund the rest of the costs for Vienna’s birthmark removal surgery. Casey mentioned, “Everyone has body insecurities. Even though the doctor said it wouldn’t affect Vienna’s mental well-being now, we felt otherwise.
With her starting school at three, kids are observant and pick up on these details.”Healing Journey.
Vienna, who is now a thriving two-year-old, had her birthmark successfully removed, resulting in a tiny scar on her forehead. Casey frequently shares updates on her daughter’s recovery, often commenting on her adorable appearance.The parents went all the way to London to check on the small scar healing.
They wanted to make sure Vienna wouldn’t need more surgeries or treatments after the three she already had. Luckily, she is healthy now and doesn’t need any more medical attention.Vienna’s Promising Future.We send our warmest wishes to little Vienna.
We wish her a lifetime filled with good health and happiness. Feel free to share her inspiring story with others!