When I was born I could barely breathe. A fast-growing tumor, called a teratoma, was interfering with my wind pipe, and I was rushed off for an immediate tracheostomy. The eventual complete removal of the teratoma permanently altered the left side of my face, leaving me with misaligned jaws, hearing loss and paralysis. Growing up not looking quite “normal” changes the way the world looks at me, which in turn affects my view of the world. However, I learned how to turn a potential liability into an asset, and most importantly, I don’t let what some would consider a deformity stop me from living. I am also an inspirational speaker, helping to dispel fear and ignorance by encouraging knowledge and understanding of people with physical differenWhen I was born I could barely breathe. A fast-growing tumor, called a teratoma, was interfering with my wind pipe, and I was rushed off for an immediate tracheostomy. The eventual complete removal of the teratoma permanently altered the left side of my face, leaving me with misaligned jaws, hearing loss and paralysis. Growing up not looking quite “normal” changes the way the world looks at me, which in turn affects my view of the world. However, I learned how to turn a potential liability into an asset, and most importantly, I don’t let what some would consider a deformity stop me from living. I am also an inspirational speaker, helping to dispel fear and ignorance by encouraging knowledge and understanding of people with physical differences so that we can become more accepted in society. I currently live near Belfair, WA with my husband Ian, three cats, two dogs, and a varying number of Icelandic horses....more
Hollywood’s best villains are driven by their story, but Dr. Maru’s story, (aka Dr. Poison) goes untold, as if her facial disfigurement explains it all.
As someone with a facial difference (I grew up with a face half-paralyzed by the removal of a tumor shortly after birth and I refuse to call it “facial disfigurement), I am baffled by the treatment of the villain Dr. Maru, aka Dr. Poison in the rec