Every new parent will tell you the same thing: welcoming a little one into the home is a joy and a blessing.
But when Rebecca and Paul Callaghan brought their daughter Matilda Rose into the world in October 2010, their joy was quickly tempered with distress.
Their beautiful little girl had with a large port-wine stain birthmark stretching across her face and half of her body.
But while confident young women like Ciera Swaringen have demonstrated time and again that birthmarks are beautiful, Matilda’s mark proved to be sign of something more challenging.
The massive stain was a symptom of Sturge-Weber Syndrome (SWS), a complex and rare condition that appears in babies right after birth. It’s characterized by seizures, developmental delay and difficulties, and the tell-tale birthmark caused by blood vessels under the skin.
Five years later, her parents are doing everything they can to raise awareness about their daughter’s illness. Together, they are working to give her the best life possible, and celebrating their incredible, brave little girl every day.
[H/T: Daily Mail]
When Matilda was born, her parents and the doctors thought her purplish blue mark was a simple bruise.
But when nurses tried to feed Matilda shortly after, she stopped breathing. For the Callaghans, that was the first sign that something was truly wrong.
She ended up having an emergency surgery to repair a pouch in her throat that caused her feeding challenges.
Doctors quickly discovered that she also had two holes in her heart, and diagnosed her with SWS when she was just weeks old.
But, as her dad Paul told the Daily Mail, “She was a fighter from the moment she arrived into the world and she's carried on fighting ever since. She's our little miracle.”
Little Matilda battled through scores of surgeries, defying the odds to grow up into a strong, feisty little girl of five years with a cheery temperament.
She’s even begun to say a few words, and can take steps using a special walking frame.
She’s also been undergoing laser treatments on the birthmark in order to stop it from growing as she grows.
The mark has been compared to “polka dots,” and could take 16 years to disappear for good.
For the moment, however, the Callaghans are primarily focused on getting a new wheelchair for their little girl, as she has outgrown her old one.
Mom Rebecca has set up a GoFundMe page outlining their mission.
And of course, in addition to doing everything they can for their little girl, Paul and Rebecca Callaghan hope to bring new awareness to Matilda’s condition, and have so far raised thousands of dollars for research!
If you were moved by this brave little girl and her loving parents, please SHARE their story with friends and family, and spread the word about Matilda and her condition!
