"Life can be beautiful if you give yourself a chance to change," said Chen Hua (
Chen, a Chinese teacher at the Chienkuo High School and an active supporter of the women's rights movement, was speaking at a conference organized by the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (
In her speech, she encouraged young people who suffer from this deformity to overcome the emotional pain of the condition and seek out love. All it required was the courage to change.
Chen said she has undergone plastic surgery on two occasions during the past three years and now she is full of confidence.
"I am not what I was two years ago. My face is not a masterpiece created by God but one created by human ingenuity and medical science," said Chen.
Chen said many people who suffer from hemifacial-microsomia have trouble with human relationships, especially making friends with the opposite sex.
She encouraged young people suffering from similar conditions not to become discouraged just because of their imperfect features.
"To love and to be loved is something that you have to look for in your life," said Chen.
Chen hopes the public may give those who suffer hemifacial-microsomia a chance to be better understood and appreciated.
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