14 DAY TRIAL // Connie Lloyd was born with a rather bizarre birthmark that made her nose red, looking like a baby Rudolf. The bright red growth on the top of her nose proved to be hemangioma, a benign tumor and not a pressure mark like the parents thought.
The red growth was noticed at birth, but it was believed to be just a pressure sign that would heal in time. After some time the mark became even more visible so the child was taken to several doctors to investigate the birthmark. Doctors discovered that Connie's growth was a tumor and prescribed medication to prevent it from growing.
“When she was a baby I wondered whether the part of Rudolf would always be set aside for Connie in her Christmas plays. I imagined well-meaning teachers and parents asking us year after year whether she would like the part,” Zara Green, the girl's mother says, according to Daily Mail.
For a child, that kind of attention may only affect her self-esteem and make her feel uncomfortable, as if a red spot on her face didn't already drew enough attention. Connie's mother was concerned her daughter's birth mark could be a stigma and other children would make fun of her Rudolf-like nose so she decided to have it removed.
Usually, these types of operations are allowed only when the child is older than ten and the risk was Connie may have to wait a few more years in order to get rid of her birthmark. Zara didn't want to wait anymore as each day that passed made her little girl even more vulnerable to other kids' jokes.
The little girl told her mother she didn't like her nose and that she wanted a normal one, as kids at pre-school were curious and sometimes they would come and stare or poke her nose. This made it even harder for Zara to accept and decided to do everything she could to make Connie eligible for surgery. She found a charity that helped her find the right doctor and proceeded with the necessary preparations.
The operation was a success and the red growth was removed, making the 5-year-old's nose look normal. Connie hasn't experienced any problems after the surgery and she is now enjoying a normal, Rudolf-nose-free life, without being the subjects of jokes and kids' harsh attitude.