Personal Stories of Hope Volume 1 | Page 21

jenna Hello, my name is Jenna. I am 25 years old. I was diagnosed with SWS at 2 months old. I have glaucoma in my right eye and a PWS that covers 70% of my body. I had eye surgery when I was 8 months old, and continue to see the same doctor for yearly checkups. Thankfully, the pressure in my eyes has been normal and stable for years. I had a couple of laser treatments in grade school, but my parents chose to stop them and let me decide whether or not I wanted to continue. I chose to stop lightening my birthmark and I have never regretted that decision. I have been fortunate in that I’ve never had any seizures or learning delays. I did experience some motor delays and attended therapy at 14 months old to learn how to walk. I excelled academically and graduated third in my high school class. I went on “Meeting someone for the first time can be awkward – I worry about what they will say or wonder what they are thinking. But, I know in my heart that facing these challenges has made me a stronger person.” to college and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and I am currently working towards my Master’s in Applied Psychology. Life with PWS can be challenging. People will stare and make rude comments. Meeting someone for the first time can be awkward – I worry abou Ёݡ