Vienna Rose Brookshaw was born with a birthmark. It wasn’t just any birthmark, but a specific type of skin condition known as congenital melanocytic nevi. Although her parents loved every bit of their daughter, they worried about whether or not she would be bullied in life. As a result, they had a difficult decision to make, one that certainly caused a lot of controversy.
When Vienna was born with a large birthmark on her forehead, and between her eyebrows, her mom, Celine, worried that she may have somehow been responsible for the rare occurrence and immediately sought help getting the birthmark removed. Because this kind of procedure is often considered cosmetic, insurance wouldn’t cover it. Celine and her partner Daniel were determined to prevent their baby from being ridiculed. “We went out daily with her, and we got a few stares.” She disclosed. She also worried that Vienna might one day resent her and Daniel for not taking action when she was little.
The Birthmark Causes Conflict
“We love seeing her grow on her journey, and we can’t wait for the day that she does grow up and can speak for herself so we can hear her opinion, we’d love her no matter what, even if we did keep the birthmark.” Explained Celine.
After some time, Celine and Daniel were able to get their baby the operation in order to remove her birthmark. The surgery was a success. However, the family still had more hurdles to overcome. They would spend the next several months traveling back and forth to have follow-ups, ensuring that Vienna’s birthmark scar wasn’t becoming infected, or a threat to her health.
An Outpouring of Love
Fortunately, she hasn’t had any trouble thus far. Moreover, she’s received an outpouring of love and support from her more than 45,000 Instagram followers. “What a brave angel Vienna is!!” Gushed one follower on a photo of Vienna, pre-surgery. “She’s going to have such a better life and easier growing up like that.” Supportively shared another. A third exclaimed, “She was a beauty before, and now!” While a final person commented, “She will highly appreciate this when growing up, good job!”
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Vienna was a happy baby, with a brave soul for undergoing such an invasive procedure. Although her parents made the decision to remove her birthmark for her, they do understand the public’s concern regarding Vienna’s autonomy. However, they’ve move forward with making the decision they feel is best for their little one. Today, she is happy and healthy, and her scar has healed well, and will likely continue to fade over time.
