A happy mom recently told the story of how her little girl said goodbye to a birthmark on her forehead, even though they initially faced some criticism from doctors.
A very uncommon birthmark.
© viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram, © viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram, © viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram
Here’s the story of Celine Casey and her two-year-old daughter, Vienna Shaw. Vienna was born with a rare birthmark called congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN) on her forehead, which only occurs in one out of every 20,000 newborns.
When Celine learned about the birthmark, she felt worried and wondered if she had done something wrong during her pregnancy. She didn’t know what the birthmark would mean for Vienna but was determined to remove it so that her daughter could grow up without feeling different.
© viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram
Even though the birthmark didn’t affect Brookshaw’s physical health, Casey knew it could impact her daughter’s mental well-being as she grew older and interacted with other children who might be curious about her condition.
Celine shared that the family sometimes used to hide Vienna’s birthmark by covering her face when they went out. She said, “We went out daily with her and got a few stares.”
The surgery was challenging.
© viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram
When they sought help from the NHS, the family received disheartening feedback. Doctors couldn’t go ahead with the surgery to remove the birthmark, categorizing it as a cosmetic procedure.
However, the parents viewed it differently. They were genuinely worried about potential teasing from other kids, which could affect their daughter’s mental well-being at a young age. Casey was also concerned that if they didn’t remove the birthmark, her daughter might grow to resent her and her partner.
© viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram, © viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram, © viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram
The parents took matters into their own hands and privately raised the required funds. Through crowdfunding, they managed to gather $52,000 within 24 hours. However, due to increased hospital costs in 2020, they had to raise an additional $27,000. With a new funding request, they eventually reached their goal.
They encountered difficulties with doctors.
© viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram
Disagreements between the medical team and the parents have led to differing opinions. Vienna’s parents wanted the birthmark removed through surgery, but the surgeon refused to perform the procedure. The surgeon’s stance is rooted in the belief that the child should make the decision once she reaches an appropriate age.
After this controversy arose, Daniel Brookshaw, Vienna’s father, expressed his dissatisfaction with the doctor’s viewpoint. The doctor also consulted with a dermatologist who concurred with the surgeon, emphasizing that the birthmark doesn’t threaten Vienna’s health and is not cancerous.
The surgery was completed successfully.
© viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram
Vienna is now two years old, and her doctors have successfully removed her birthmark, leaving only a faint scar between her eyebrows. Casey regularly shares updates on Shaw’s scar and recovery process on her social media, and followers often comment on how beautiful her little girl looks.
Despite the birthmark being gone, Casey mentioned that they still have to travel between cities to check the healing of the scar and see if any additional procedures are needed beyond the three she has already undergone. Shaw is now enjoying the typical life of a two-year-old.
© viennarosebrookshaw / Instagram
This little girl’s case with her birthmark brings attention to the delicate balance between parental advocacy and a child’s autonomy in medical decisions. While her parents aimed to secure her social acceptance and well-being, medical professionals stressed the importance of respecting Vienna’s future autonomy over her own body.
This story serves as a reminder of the intricate ethical considerations that arise when navigating the boundaries of parental authority and individual autonomy, prompting broader reflections on the rights of minors in the medical realm.
Before Disembarking Plane, Pilot Notices Last Passenger inside Who Is a Carbon Copy of Him – Story of the Day
Before disembarking the plane he had just landed, Captain Edward Blair noticed a lone man on the plane who refused to leave. Upon looking clearly, he realized the man was his carbon copy.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is Captain Edward Blair speaking. We have just landed at the Chicago Midway International Airport. We hope you enjoyed your flight with us, and we wish to see you on one of your future flights,” the captain spoke from the cockpit after successfully landing the aircraft.
After parking the plane, the captain and his first officer followed protocol by waiting for all passengers to disembark before leaving the cockpit. When it was their turn to leave, he opened the cockpit door and saw the flight purser talking to a man who refused to leave the plane.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Everything good here?” Edward asked, approaching them.
The flight purser nodded. “I’ll give you guys some time,” she smiled before walking towards the back of the plane.
Edward was confused about why she wanted to leave him alone with the passenger until he realized what she meant. There stood a man who looked exactly like him. Before he could say anything, the man spoke.
“Do you want to see mom?” he asked.
“I can’t believe my eyes. Is it you, Adam? Did mom ever come back? She’s alive and well?” Edward replied, so many thoughts suddenly rushing to his head.
Adam was Edward’s twin brother, whom he hadn’t seen in decades. Edward left the orphanage when he was eight, and they were now 32 years old.
“I asked you a question first. Do you want to see your mom?” Adam asked again with an impatient tone.
Edward nodded, and Adam stepped out of the plane. Edward followed behind and the two of them got into a taxi heading towards the city.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
On the way, Adam was silent the entire time. Meanwhile, Edward couldn’t help but try and explain himself with tears in his eyes.
“When she left us at the orphanage, I really didn’t think she’d ever come back. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I understood that she couldn’t feed us because dad left, but I thought she left us because a part of her wanted to leave us too. I didn’t think she’d ever come back, Adam,” he explained.
“So instead, you agreed to be adopted by a wealthy family. You chose them over ME! I begged you for days not to leave me in that place, but you chose to live a life of comfort over your own blood. She came back a year after you left, and she couldn’t forgive herself for losing you,” Adam answered back.
“Up until today, she blames herself for not having enough to keep you. Don’t get me wrong – I hate you. In fact, I hate you as much as I hate our father. I stopped looking for you years ago, but when I heard your name on that plane, I remembered mom and her wish to see you,” he added with gritted teeth.
After a couple of minutes, the taxi came to a stop. Adam got out and stormed towards an old house that surprised Edward. He realized that his brother and mother lived in poverty.
Although Adam had a long-time girlfriend, he could not ask her to marry him because he spent most of his time working and caring for his sick mother. He’s always wanted to settle down and start a family, but he felt indebted to his mom and wanted to make sure she lived the rest of her life comfortably.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
As they entered the house, Edward immediately saw his mother, Annie, in a wheelchair, sitting in their living room. When she saw both her sons in the same room, she sobbed and could not calm down.
“Oh my god, it’s you, Edward. Adam, you and your brother are both here. You’re back,” she sobbed, bringing her wheelchair closer to her sons.
“He’s not back, mom. He just came to see you, but he’ll be back in his mansion when the night ends,” Adam said passively while pouring a glass of water for his mom to calm down.
Edward didn’t hesitate to walk toward his mom, hug her and beg for forgiveness. “I’m so sorry, mom. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you said you’d come back for us. I wish you could forgive me,” he cried.
“I don’t blame you, son. I don’t blame you at all. I am sorry for not being able to give you and Adam a good life from the beginning. I wish I could, but it was so difficult for me to find work. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so glad that you’re here,” his mother replied, stroking his hair as they embraced.
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“Would you like to stay the night? We have a lot to catch up on. I’d love for you to spend more time with us,” she asked him.
“I’m sorry, mom, but I have to go home tonight. I got a job in France, so my adoptive parents and I will be moving. The flight back home to Chicago was my last one here. I think it was meant to be that Adam was in the flight, as I got to see you,” he explained.
After hearing that his son was moving to Europe, Annie was heartbroken. “You’re leaving?” she said weakly. “I wish we could have found each other sooner… I’m sad that our time together was so short.”
“I’m sorry, mom. I will visit you as much as I can. I am sure I’ll have flights to the US,” Edward said, apologizing once more.
“Stop getting her hopes up. She doesn’t deserve to be heartbroken at her age. Get out!” Adam retorted, realizing that his brother simply just wanted to see their mother but not build a connection with her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
A couple of days after their encounter, Adam noticed a transportation service arrive in the house across from theirs, and men started loading furniture inside, along with appliances.
“Mom, it seems someone bought the house right in front of ours. We’ll have new neighbors soon,” he told her.
Annie was delighted, as she had always wanted neighbors. She enjoyed baking and was looking to share her creations with other people.
However, they were surprised when the man who followed shortly after, driving a luxury vehicle, turned out to be Edward. Adam and Annie opened their front door to confront him. “What are you doing here?” Adam asked his brother.
“I spoke to my wife about what happened the other day, and we both realized that our home wasn’t in France, but here. I turned down the job offer from the French airline and told my adoptive parents I wanted to relocate somewhere in Chicago instead. They understood and promised they’d keep in touch while they enjoyed their retirement in Europe,” Edward explained.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“I am sorry that I never got a chance to look for you, mom. I know I’ve made many mistakes in the past, but I hope you give me a chance to prove to you that I am not a bad person and that I genuinely want to spend time with you. I want to reconnect with you too, Adam. We are brothers. I love you both, and I will prove just how much if you’d let me,” he added.
Annie could not believe it, and she began to cry. Edward introduced his wife Emma and young daughter Alex to Annie and Adam, warming their hearts. While Annie caught up with Alex and Emma, Adam and Edward had a good talk.
“I know you don’t trust me at all, Adam, but please give me this chance to prove to you that I have good intentions for you and mom,” he begged.
“I’m willing to let go of my past issues for mom’s sake. She looks happy, and that’s all that matters to me,” Adam admitted.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
The brothers caught up with one another, and Edward found out that Adam had a long-time girlfriend he wanted to marry. He volunteered to take care of their mother in the house next door while Adam worked on his own personal relationship.
Edward had Adam’s house repaired, and the renovations made it look good as new. Adam began to work on his personal life while Edward and his family cared for Annie next door. The family would get together every night for a good meal and conversation.
What can we learn from this story?
- People meant to be in your life will always find their way back to you. Adam didn’t know that Edward was on his flight back to Chicago that day. Their chance encounter brought Edward back to the company of his mother and brother, whom he had not seen for years.
- It’s never too late to start over. Adam was angry at his brother Edward for abandoning him, but they were able to set aside their differences for the sake of their mom. They ended up rebuilding their relationships with one another, leading them to become a stronger and happier family.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
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