Baby Born with Rare Skin Condition Will Have Batman-Shaped Face Patch Removed
A 6-month-old Florida girl born with a rare skin condition will undergo a series of surgeries to remove a dark face patch that resembles the Batman symbol.
Luna Fenner’s family will travel to Russia to have the girl treated for congenital melanocytic nevus, Luna’s mother, Carol Fenner, told Inside Edition. Congenital melanocytic nevus is a skin condition characterized by an “abnormally dark” patch on the body, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. People with the illness are at high risk for developing melanoma, according to the department.
“We’re going to remove it,” Carol told Inside Edition. “That can turn to cancer, also because of the bullying and stuff we are going through when we go out. People saying bad things about it.”
Carol was “shocked” when she gave birth to Luna in March and saw the dark patch covering a large portion of the little girl’s face, she told WPLG. She began looking into options for treatment after doctors in the U.S. recommended that Luna undergo several surgeries over the next four years.
“We saw a lot of doctors. We went to Boston, Chicago, and New York trying to find a better result,” she told WPLG.
Soon a doctor from Russia contacted the desperate mother: “He said, ‘Come here. I can do something they don’t do in the USA.’ “
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The Russian surgeon, Dr. Pavel Borisovich Popov, will perform up to eight surgeries over the course of 18 months, according to SWNS. Carol and Luna will travel to Russia while Carol’s husband, Thiago Tavares, stays behind in Florida, she said.
“Everybody thinks I’m crazy to go to Russia, but I have done a lot of research and gained advice from several doctors and I really think that this is the best option for Luna right now,” she told SWNS. “It will be a huge relief if it works for Luna. I don’t want her to get bullied. People ask if it’s contagious and say really mean things.”
A GoFundMe page set up in April to cover the family’s travel and Luna’s medical expenses has raised nearly $40,000.
“Hi, I’m Luna,” begins the page, which is written from Luna’s perspective. “I’m 4 months old. I was born with a rare disease that affects 1.5% of the world population called Congenital Melanotic Nevus.“
“People like me with large moles get more than their fair share of looks, stares, whispers, and finger-pointing,” the statement continues. “It is heartbreaking for my parents and it can have a devastating effect on me as I grow up. I need your help because I want to be a normal kid and have a normal life.”
