Some children used to take birthmarks by having a unique mark on their skin, but some birthmarks differ totally from others; similarly, little Winry has taken birth by having a rare birthmark. Nicole Lucas Hall is a loving mom of 2, son Asher and daughter Winry. Thirteen-month-old Winry was born with an unusual birthmark that covers a fourth of her face. When recalling the moment they first saw her daughter, Nicole said their initial thoughts were concern and confusion for her safety, as neither of them had ever seen such a birthmark before.
She said, “When they first handed her to me, I thought it was a bruise. It was then quickly apparent to my husband and me that it was not a bruise. And like the name, I thought it looked a lot like a mole.” They assumed it was something dangerous, but the doctors quickly put their fears to rest. Winry was born with a rare congenital melanocytic nevus, with a prevalence estimated at around 1 in 50,000 births. They were reassured that the birthmark was mostly cosmetic and that any health risks would be on par with other nevi or moles.
Nicole had a vast sigh of relief as they could finally relax and appreciate Winry’s arrival even more. Instead of being bogged down by her daughter’s circumstances, Nicole said she used the power of social media to promote awareness and to encourage others that being “different” is your superpower. She expressed, “For a lot of people, this is the first time seeing a birthmark like hers and that’s part of why I enjoy sharing. This is a great conversation for parents with their children to see kids have differences, or for those parents who do have a kid that looks like Winry or has any kind of a birthmark to see their child represented. Her health and happiness are our top priority. We have to monitor her with sunscreen. I’m careful with hats and sort of covering up. I know our regular dermatology appointments are probably going to be a part of our future. We have to monitor her for sunscreens. I’m cautious with hats and protective clothing. I know our regular dermatology check-ups are likely to be a part of our future.”
Aside from that, they’ve been incredibly moved by the compassion of those who have learned about Winry. Every little sister wants to have an older brother looking after her. In Winry’s case, Asher is a true, helpful, sweet brother. According to Nicole, he is wonderfully unaware that there is anything ‘different’ about her. He knows she has a birthmark on her face, but that means no more difference to him than having different eye colors. Every single day, Nicole and her husband do everything they can to protect and raise Winry and her brother to be confident in all of their strengths and features. As important as it is for them to constantly check on Winry’s health, they are also concerned about how others might perceive or judge her.
Winry was the first person in the family to have this birthmark. However, Winry’s is what truly sets her apart. Nicole said, “She just radiates joy. She’s almost always laughing or shrieking. She is just the happiest baby I have ever seen. She’s a big talker already. We haven’t got a whole lot of words out, but she tells you like it is, and she’s already getting a little bit of sassiness, so I think we’re gonna have a lot on our hands. We’ve got to talk to several people from Brazil with birthmarks. One of them has one that is almost identical to Winry’s, and it’s been so fun to talk to her because she’s almost exactly my age.” As a parent, they are trying to make their daughter believe it is just a common thing, not something that is going to differentiate her from any other human being.
