'It's empowering to show my birthmark in public'

A woman with a rare skin condition said it will be "empowering" to display her birthmark in public for the first time, to reduce stigma around visible skin differences.

Helen Stroud, 38, from Harrogate, has congenital melanocytic naevus (CMN), a genetic condition that can result in a large birthmark over 80% of the body, as well as smaller, pigmented moles.

She and six other women are tackling the London Landmarks Half Marathon wearing shorts and backless tops, to encourage others to "love the skin they're in".

"I'm really excited to be able to do this with pride and have a positive impact on the wider community of people with a visible difference, whatever that is," she said.

"It's going to be really empowering to do it with a team of inspirational women, and show that it's okay to be different - make it part of you and be proud of your skin".

Growing up, Helen said she kept her birthmark covered due to confidence issues, with friends and even some family members never seeing it fully.

It wasn't until she was in her 30s that she realised "there was a whole host of people with the same skin condition as me", after hearing a radio advert for the charity Caring Matters Now.

According to charity, which advocates for greater awareness for the condition, around 1 in 10,000-20,000 newborns have "extensive or numerous" CMN.

Single, small CMN are more common, found in 1% of all newborns. The larger form can be dark, have hair, or in some cases grown internally which can be fatal.

There is also a small increase in the risk of developing melanoma due to the condition.

Helen described it as "life changing" to connect with others who had similar experiences to her own.

"It's massively changed my feelings about my skin, my outlook on life," she said.

"Now as a mum, it's making me feel more confident, and show my children that it's okay to look different and to try and set a positive example for them as well."

Through Caring Matters Now, Helen - now interim head of communications at the charity - met CEO Jodi Whitehouse, whose story closely mirrored her own.

When Jodi suggested she join the group taking part in the half marathon, Helen said she was initially focused on the physical challenge.

"As that became a little bit more of a routine, it became a lot more real that we were going to be baring our birthmarks," she explained.

"It did make me feel quite nervous and emotional, but actually now I think I've come out the other side and I'm really excited".

The London Landmarks Half Marathon takes place on 12 April, covering 13.1 miles (21km) and attended by over 18,000 runners annually.

Jodi said the occasion would be even more meaningful, because many of the other women running had been supported by the charity since childhood.

"Seeing them navigate life as a kid and a teenager with a rare visible difference and it's been hard," she said.

"Yet we've been able to really support these young women to a point where they feel empowered and it's part of their identity".

Though acceptance of people's differences was changing, Helen added, raising awareness was still important to tackle remaining stigma and promote confidence.

"People will see your skin and sometimes stare, ask questions [or] say things that they don't mean to be unkind, but they just say what's in their head," she said.

"It's okay to have a visible difference and to love the skin you're in, whether that's a birthmark, whether that's a scar, a skin graft.

"It's all about teaching people to have confidence about your condition".

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