Individuals with lymphedema typically experience swelling in the body due to excess fluid in one or two limbs.
Eighteen years ago, Bella Roberts was born with lymphedema — only hers is a very rare and more severe type called Hennekam syndrome.
For her entire life, Bella has lived with constant swelling throughout her hands, face, legs … essentially her entire body. She is one of only a handful of cases in the world with this specific type of lymphedema.
"Essentially, I don't have a lymphatic system; in a 'normal' body, fluid is transported from the blood back into the body, but I don’t have that," she wrote in an article for Scouts.org. "All the extra fluid doesn’t go anywhere. It just floats."
Bella takes several different medications to help reduce the swelling. She cannot exercise or stay on her feet for too long. It's hard for her to find clothes that fit. And because she looks physically different from her peers, she is no stranger to cruel stares, rude comments, and bullying.
As you're about to see, however, Bella does not let anything or anyone get in the way of her dreams and passions. She radiates with positivity despite her challenges, and it's so refreshing to see.
