Lawyer, 30, born with half a FACE can now chew and hear after undergoing life-changing surgery to rebuild her head
The brave campaigner is now raising funds for her last bout of reconstructive surgery
A LAWYER born with half a face has told how she is "thankful for every day" as she fulfils her dream to gain a "normal" face.
Slovakian Ivanka Danisová is celebrating being able to hear and chew properly for the first time in her life after undergoing four groundbreaking procedures for the underdeveloped bones in the right hand side of her face.
The 30-year-old triplet was the first European to undergo the hugely complex surgery in the US last year, and hopes to complete the last of the reconstruction this summer.
She suffers from Goldenhar Syndrome, a congenital defect that causes abnormalities on one side of the face.
Writing on a to raise money for her ongoing treatment, Ivanka says:
"My craniofacial fight - which is my VICTORY within reach - has not only opened the door to a better future but it has mainly brought me the FEELING of having had a surgery of my skull, of having all important craniofacial bones for the first time in my life."
The junior lawyer, who received her training in the UK, lost both her parents and is currently fighting her third bout of leukaemia.
But fearless Ivanka is determined to fight on with the help of her siblings who last year started the Rainbow for Ivanka campaign group.
A victim of bullying throughout her life, Ivanka has inspired others to post photos where they hide half of their faces to raise awareness about the life-changing condition.
She said: "We do the selfie because the biggest dream of each rainbow children one time to uncover your hand on one half of face.
"I refuse to accept that this condition should still be a "taboo" in Slovakia, and that these children are viewed as unacceptable for this society."
Ivanka is now trying to raise the funds needed to complete her $40,000 surgery, which will involve enlarging her eye orbit and soft issue.
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"Each day for me is very difficult with my rapid arrhythmia, pains with leukaemia, and this craniofacial fight but I believe that I can win," she writes.
"I am thankful for every day.
"I will be grateful for any financial support via GoFundMe so that I won't have to bear the entire financial burden alone."
What is Goldenhar Syndrome?
- Goldenhar syndrome is a rare congenital defect which alters the patient's facial appearance with abnormalities appearing around the ears, eyes and spine
- It can manifest itself in incomplete development of the ear, nose soft palate, life and mandible, usually on one side of the body
- It affects up to one out of 26,000 babies at birth
- The male to female ratio of those affected is 3:2
- The cause of the syndrome is largely unknown, though it's thought there may be a genetic component
- Treatment is confined to surgical intervention to help the child or adult develop
- Loss of hearing, deafness or blindness in one ear/eye are also common symptoms
- The terms is sometimes used interchangeably with hemifacial microsomia where there is internal organ or vertebrae disruption
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