Parents Respond to Hurtful Remarks About Their Daughter’s Rare Skin Disease

Every expectant parent hopes their little bundle of joy will be born healthy and grow up to be happy. Paul and Rebecca Callaghan, regrettably, were not as fortunate.

Their daughter had to be delivered early because she had issues in the womb. It is unfortunate that the parents and doctors were unaware of the baby’s serious health condition until she was born.

Despite everything that she has experienced in her life, little Matilda Rose Callaghan continues to struggle. She does, however, have supportive parents and is a courageous young woman.
When

Matilda was born, the physicians saw that she had red and dark blue marks all over her face. At first, they believed those to be typical birth-related injuries, but they were mistaken. They were not going to go away; those marks were something far more terrible.

In the initial days of her life, Matilda had multiple procedures. Medical personnel had to resuscitate her after she stopped breathing twice. The markings on her face were eventually identified as the result of the baby’s Sturge Weber Syndrome and Trachea Oesophageal Fistula (TOF). This syndrome is a neurological condition marked by characteristic port-wine stains on the scalp, forehead, or around the eyes. These stains are brought on by an excess of capillaries close to the skin’s surface.
Unfortunately,

these issues meant that Matilda would suffer from learning impairments, glaucoma, seizures, and paralysis on the left side of her body.

Laser treatments were necessary to prevent her birthmarks from spreading and affecting her brain or other organs.

Her face is marked with polka dots from the treatments Matilda must endure until she is sixteen. Her face is frequently covered in dots, but they go away after about three weeks since she gets laser treatments every two months.

Because they think the markings are from abuse and beatings, passersby stare at her whenever she and her parents go out, which makes them both uncomfortable.

Every time someone teases their daughter, the Callaghans are devastated. She is far too little to be conscious of her affliction, but they worry that as she ages, her confidence may be significantly impacted.

“They just see what is in front of them and jump to hurtful conclusions,” Matilda’s father adds, expressing his desire for people to understand the reality behind his daughter’s appearance. I wish they could see how amazing she is as a tiny angel and see past the birthmark.

Despite her communication issues and inability to walk independently, Matilda’s parents try their hardest to provide her the best life possible. They are there to fight her struggle alongside her because they adore her unconditionally.

The reason they tell her tale is to raise awareness of the challenges they face on a daily basis.