Mum, who was brutally labeled a ‘toad’ due to thousands of tumors covering her body, has undergone surgery and revealed a tremendous transformation.
Libby Huffer, 45, like her mother, has neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic illness that generates non-cancerous growths wherever nerves are present.
Unfortunately, this disease has left her with over 6,000 tumors on her body, resulting in bullying. People have dubbed Libby “a toad” and “lizard breath” over the years.
Her illness worsened after she became pregnant and gave birth to her daughter 23 years ago. At the time, the number of tumors grew to thousands.
Libby has these tumors all over her body, including her face. Worse, they not only alter her appearance but also cause her constant discomfort.
Unable to cope with her condition and the way she looked, Libby launched a GoFundMe in 2016 to help her pay for electrodessication, a groundbreaking operation that removes tumors and prevents them from growing again.
Fortunately, she was able to acquire the funds, and in June of the following years, she underwent the much-anticipated operation, which allowed her to remove approximately 1,000 tumors from her face and other parts of her body. The surgery was a success, but it left her with several scars that required CO2 laser treatment.
“There is still a long way to go to mend the emotional harm I’ve suffered over the years, but I know it will only get better with time,” she said.
“The more procedures I get, the more confident I will become, which will help me forget some of my horrible childhood experiences.”
“After the surgery, I have fewer huge tumors on my face and feel more confident.
“I don’t think people are staring at me as much now; I still have kids glancing at me on occasion, but there has been a significant shift.”
Speaking of her agony and persecution, Libby stated, “I have been ridiculed and victimized my entire life because of the lumps on my skin, which cover me from head to toe.
“In school, students would constantly pick on me, calling me lizard breath and toad.”
Libby talked up about her problems while fundraising for her operation and urged people to help her feel normal again.
“The tumours on my back create constant agony, and the nerves in my feet tingle all the time, making it difficult to sleep,” she explained.
“Even simple things like a hug or water from the shower might cause them pain.”
“But I am a human being, and all I want is to be loved and cared for like everyone else.
“Instead of making comments, I wish people would talk to me rather than stare at me like I’m a circus freak; that makes me very uncomfortable.”
The operation that changed her life cost $23,500 and allowed her to live without the stares and taunts of others for the first time in three decades.
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