Shirvani Naran lives in South Africa with a rare form of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, popularly known as the “butterfly children disease”. She was diagnosed just days after birth, when her mother discovered that her skin was covered in blisters and peeled away at the slightest contact. Doctors gave her only six months to live.
Her skin is so fragile that a simple touch can cause painful blisters and wounds; the disease also affects the inside of her body and can make drinking water cause lesions in her throat. Every day, she spends around four hours bathing, caring for her wounds, and changing her bandages.
Even so, Shirvani is a mother of three and a model. Today, she uses her story to challenge beauty stereotypes and show that her illness does not have to define her. ❤️