Cassandra Naud was born in Alberta, Canada, with a large brown birthmark covered in hair that occupied almost her entire right cheek.
When she was born, doctors offered her parents, Richard and France, cosmetic surgery. They decided not to have it operated on.
At school, the mark earned her years of teasing. “It was hard to put up with their cruel comments, and I often had to fight back tears. I felt ugly”, she has said. At 13, she asked to have it removed, but the surgeon explained that the birthmark was deep and removing it would leave scars. She changed her mind immediately.
Today, at 22, she is a professional dancer and is grateful for her parents’ decision. “My birthmark is a big part of me. It makes me unique and memorable, which is especially important for the career I’ve chosen”, she says. Her message to those going through the same thing: “Don’t let the teasing stop you, and be proud of your uniqueness”.
