A young woman has described how she deals with people in public staring at her due to her rare condition. 20-year-old Hannah Ross was born with Goldenhar syndrome and often pretends she is a celebrity to deal with staring.
Goldenhar syndrome is a rare congenital condition that affects the development of the eye, ear and spine. It meant growing up had its challenges, as numerous craniofacial operations, compounded by her scoliosis, saw her miss plenty of lessons during school.
Some teasing also took place although, on the whole, Hannah, who is from Potton, Bedfordshire and is a campaigner with the charity Changing Faces, says her school was inclusive and welcoming of difference. It was more her internal battle with confidence that brought about its difficulties.
