The hardest part was not just watching her face change, but learning to live with the way others looked at her.
Victoria Wright was just 4 years old when her jaw began to grow unusually and her eyes became more prominent. After several tests, she was diagnosed with cherubism, a rare genetic condition that alters the remodeling of the jaw and maxillary bones.
The physical changes were only part of the story. From a young age, she had to endure stares, insults, and mockery. She has said that she still remembers the shame she felt when another child made fun of her chin in elementary school. Even as an adult, she became the target of jokes made by comedians.
Over the years, she also faced complex medical situations. She underwent surgeries to protect her vision, but decided against cosmetic procedures intended solely to change her appearance.
Her position has never been that she is against surgery. In fact, she has explained that other people with cherubism have chosen to have surgery, and that decision may be right for them. In her case, she says her face is deeply tied to her identity and that if she ever decides to have another procedure, it will be for herself and not to meet other people’s expectations.
Today, she works in public relations, advocates for the rights of people with facial differences, and is also the mother of a daughter.
After spending much of her life hearing that she should change her face, she decided that the only person who could decide what to do with it was her.