A girl with facial deformity became a fashion model, having survived more than 100 plastic surgeries
Alison Midstock was born with a rare ailment called "Treacher Collins syndrome". Neither the symptoms nor the fact that the girl had to go through more than 100 reconstructive facial surgeries did not prevent her from realizing her dream of becoming a fashion model.
(10 photos in total)
Alison was only a few weeks old when she was adopted by Denis Rick. The girl was often in treatment and could not attend school normally. Back then, doctors assured Alison's parents that due to complex hearing problems, she would most likely not be able to speak. But at the age of 5, she began to communicate verbally with her family.
"When I was 5 years old, I looked at myself in the mirror and kept asking my mom why I was so ugly," Alison recalls.
At the age of 8, the young Midstokk often drew girls with deformed appearance, who gradually became real beauties under her pencil.
Despite her unusual appearance, Alison has never had any problems with communication. "I grew up a cheerful, sociable child. Yes, as a child I wasn't invited to all my classmates' birthdays, but I always had a few close friends," says Midstokk. At the age of 9, the girl was operated on once again, and then friends sent her postcards and flowers to the hospital.
At 17, Alison went through one of the most difficult operations, after which she flatly refused to return to school. Then the girl had serious problems with accepting her own appearance — she was afraid to communicate with peers for fear of condemnation.
Nevertheless, the girl has been working with photographers and artists since she was 15 years old. So she tried to overcome the complexes arising from her appearance. Moreover, she liked the work of the model, and she immediately realized that she had found her vocation.
Alison is now 31 years old. For several years, the plastic surgery department became a second home for the girl — there she underwent many operations, including a major facial reconstruction in 2010 and several operations to correct vision and hearing.
After the final reconstruction, doubts and fears disappeared. Midstokk became more confident and willingly accepted offers from photographers to work together. Then the hobby became a real job, and Alison actually realized her childhood dream.
Keywords: Fashion | Illness | Girl | Deformity | Face | Dream | Model