One mother is dedicated to reaffirming that her daughter is beyond beautiful.
Nicole Hall’s daughter, Winry, was born with an extremely rare birthmark called congenital melanocytic nevi, or CMN. As such, the 13-month-old has a trait that makes her distinct from other children.
“When they first handed her to me, I thought it was a bruise,” Hall told “Good Morning America.” “It was then quickly apparent to my husband and I that it was not a bruise. And like the name, I thought it looked a lot like a mole.”
Instead of being sad about her daughter’s circumstances, Nicole has taken to social media to raise awareness (and to show off how adorable Winry is!)
“For a lot of people, this is the first time seeing a birthmark like hers and that’s part of why I enjoy sharing,” Nicole said. “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.”
Nicole gets quite a lot of questions when it comes to CMN, including the potential health risks. For Winry, there’s a very slight increased risk for developing a skin cancer called melanoma. Because of this, Nicole makes sure to take extra care of her daughter’s skin in addition to taking her to see a dermatologist on a regular basis.
People also frequently ask if it’s possible for the birthmark to be removed. While it may be possible in the future, Nicole does a great job at explaining why they’re waiting for Winry to be old enough to have a say.
@.nicolelucashall Answer to @salum68 her body, her choice! #bodypositivity #bodyautonomy #birthmark #birthmarkremoval ♬ original sound – the Halls
Still, Hall said she stays on top of things by taking extra measures to protect her skin.
“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,” Hall said. “I know our regular dermatology appointment is probably going to be our best friend growing up.”
Her mom said Winry’s character is what truly sets her apart.
“She just radiates joy. She’s almost always laughing or shrieking. She is just the happiest baby I have ever seen,” Hall said. “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.”
Thankfully, though, through the power of social media, Nicole has been able to connect with people all across the world who also have CMN.
“We’ve got to talk to several people from Brazil with birthmarks,” Hall said. “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.”
Source: goodmorningamerica.com, inspiremore.com
