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“What’s that on your face?” This is a question Peris Wanjiku Mwangi alias Shiko Morgan has been asked many times than she can remember.

She has a large birthmark on the right side of her face, which she describes as big, beautiful and conspicuous.

Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus (CMN), also known as a birthmark, is a skin condition characterised by an abnormally dark skin patch (nevus) that appears on the skin at birth or during the first few weeks of life. They are usually noncancerous. They can occur anywhere on your face or body. Birthmarks vary in colour, size, appearance, and shape. Some may get larger over time. Most birthmarks are harmless, but some indicate an underlying medical condition. In some instances, birthmarks may be removed for cosmetic reasons.

Peris has embraced her unusual skin and is striving to create awareness about birthmarks, which are composed of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. Despite the fact it is big, different and stands out causing many to turn their heads, to look, Shiko has always remained positive regarding her visible difference.

 “Growing up, life was pretty much normal, just like in any family setting. I experienced a lot of love and support from my parents, brothers and my extended family. I never felt like I was any different,” says Peris, a mother and an entrepreneur, who runs a courier company, Breit Courier Services based in Thika.

Peris says she became more aware of her birthmark on her first day at school. She was five years old. She offers: “I had never encountered such stares before and never felt like I was any different. At first, I was a little bit scared. I didn’t know how to cope. It took a day at a time for me to blend in. Eventually, they got used to it. I made friends and everybody made me feel comfortable, including the teachers. My mum had coached me on how to answer the common question, ‘What happened to your face?’ and I always answered, ‘It is just a birthmark’. I still give that answer to date,” she shares.

Growing up, she thought she was the only one in the universe with such a mark. “Later on, I met people with similar marks, but way smaller than mine. But I remember a woman by the name Ferrin Roy from the United States, who has a similar mark like mine sharing a post on Facebook sometime back. The post was widely shared and people tagged me on that post. Her story was such an inspiration and it gave me the courage to open up,” she says.

Overcoming stigma

She terms her family and friends as her biggest support system who have always shown her love and never made her feel any different. She opines: “God has His own ways of covering up for everything. I have never been bullied or rejected because of the mark. I also have amazing parents, brothers, friends and an entire family, who love me unconditionally and always remind me of my beauty. I sincerely don’t know how life would be without them. God has always connected me with people who love me unconditionally. I make friends easily and don’t tolerate negative comments. I have high self-esteem and I still don’t understand how I end up raising my head high despite the mean comments from some people.”

She shares how there is a lot of stigma in society, which can lower one’s self-esteem. “Mean comments from strangers can really put you down, but with time, you learn to deal with the good and the bad. Some strangers are so kind; they will just remind you of how beautiful you are. Such comments keep us going,” she says.

She describes herself as an extrovert who loves nature and outdoor activities. “There were times I felt like wearing a hairstyle that concealed the mark, but I no longer feel that way today. I never allow society to dictate my life in any way. I do things in my own style and I’m cautious on who I keep in my inner circle,” says Peris.

Reaching out

Peris terms herself as a CMN ambassador and plans to create awareness on the condition, encourage and mentor other people who are born different, eradicate the stigma associated with birthmarks, support anyone with a rare CMN, and simply air the voice of the voiceless.

“It is my shining star that I embrace so much. Society will treat you the way you allow it to treat you. Acceptance is not easy. It takes time, and it is a journey. Learn how to love yourself and to embrace everything that God gave you. We are beautiful in our own ways. We are a family and together we can end the stigma. As J Cole says, No need to fix what God already put His paintbrush on. You are beautiful, you are bold, you are unique!” she shares

“My joy is to see those stigmatised because of their birthmarks rise like a phoenix from ashes and show the world their beauty with pride. Rare are many, rare is strong, rare is proud, rare is bold! We are beautiful in different ways. Let us embrace any type of beauty and create a safe space for every human being despite our differences,” says Peris.