When she was just 8 months old, her stepfather Kenny noticed that her face was beginning to look different.
Unfortunately, doctors later diagnosed her with a rare condition called neurofibromatosis, which consisted of a tumor growing on the right side of her face. The condition, which can’t be cured, is often associated with the ‘Elephant Man’.
Several years later, her tumor grew bigger, but doctors simply refused to help Sarah with what was required. It didn’t matter which hospital she visited, no doctor would perform surgery to remove the tumor from Sarah’s face.
The doctors reportedly told her and her family that removing the tumor would be too risky and she should continue to live with her condition.
Unfortunately, over the years, the tumor continued to grow. Sarah suffered from frequent headaches, her vision became impaired, and had a hard time in school. Sarah’s condition meant that she was stared at wherever she went.
Luckily, when she was 16 years old, Sarah made a viral video to let the world know how she felt. In the video, she reportedly said: “I have had many surgeries, but I can’t notice the difference. I have very few friends I trust. I wish people could understand there is nothing wrong with me. I get called names all the time. I’m going to be STRONG. I try my best to not let things bug me. but it’s just so hard!”
Her emotional video went viral and when she woke up the next day, she received thousands of messages from supportive people, who explained how beautiful and brave she was and how she had inspired them. The video also reached a doctor who offered to help her with surgery other doctors had refused to perform. Luckily, Sarah finally had the operation. Thanks to her brave decision to share her story, the young woman was offered a life-changing surgery.
In a one-hour documentary on Discovery Fit & Health, the viewers could follow Sarah as she was going through several procedures to remove the tumor from her face and restructure her features. After the surgery, Sarah was very happy. ”I kept looking in the mirror and taking pictures of myself. My mom and neighbors were shocked. We sent my dad pictures, and he was really happy. He said as long as I’m happy, he’s happy,” she said. And yes, this is the latest photo of Sarah, posted just weeks ago. Here is how she looks like now.
