The condition of Treacher Collins There is a good possibility that you haven’t heard of it, but if you have, you know how much of an impact it can have on those affected by it.
Just ask Michael Goodman if you don’t believe what I’m saying.
You may have watched the movie Wonder, which tells the story of fifth-grader August Auggie Pullman, a boy born with Treacher Collins syndrome who challenges himself to cope with life in a private middle school. The movie tells the tale of August Auggie Pullman.
Facebook / Michael Goodman
The story, inspired by a book that was a bestseller in the New York Times, is both heartwarming and sad, and it provides a wonderful and emotional insight into what it is like to live with facial differences and be bullied for them.
Michael Goodman, a pediatrician who is 41 years old and hails from Indianapolis, Indiana, is a real-life Auggie in the sense that he is familiar with what it is like to have to deal with Treacher Collins syndrome while growing up. Goodman is the inspiration for the character Auggie in the novel Wonder.
Because of the way that Treacher-Collins syndrome affects the development of bones and other structures in the face, it can lead to deformities and malformations in the ear, eye, cheekbone, and chin regions of the face. In summary, those affected by it risk being left with facial disfigurements, which naturally make going about one’s normal activities more difficult than they should be.
According to the Genetics Home Reference website, the condition affects one person in every 50,000 individuals. It is untreatable because mutations in a particular gene are responsible for causing it.
Michael, like a significant number of other children who are affected by the condition, experienced bullying at an early age. Sad to say, he couldn’t even stroll down the halls of his school without being bullied by students who were bad influences.
His time spent in elementary school was unremarkable; however, middle and high school were a living hell for him. He was left with no sense of self-worth or trust in himself.
“Middle and high school were rough. I got teased every day pretty, and it made me want to not go to school some days, or there were days I was hoping certain classmates would not show up or be absent so I wouldn’t have to deal with them,” he told.
Michael was resolved not to let his syndrome define who he was, and as a result, he was able to come through.
“If you have a chronic medical condition or something you’re always going to the doctor for, please do not let that define who you are. Make it a part of you, but don’t make it all of you because if I defined myself by Treacher Collins, I’m not talking to you today; I can guarantee you that much,” he says.
He is currently employed at Riley Hospital for Children, a part of IU Health.
Awareness
People like Michael are hoping to share their personal experiences in the hopes of enlightening others about Treacher Collins syndrome, which is something that needs to be improved upon because awareness of the condition is something that needs to be improved.
Before Wonder was released, he discussed the sickness openly on Facebook, and we believe it’s a topic that everyone should investigate further…
The fact that more than 3,000 individuals shared Michael’s post brings to light the challenges sometimes faced by those affected by the condition.
“My name is Michael Goodman, and I’m a 37-year-old pediatrician. I love ice hockey, ice cream, and possibly Maggie on The Walking Dead.
I also have Treacher Collins Syndrome, as Auggie has in Wonder. The mutation responsible for the syndrome affects the development of the external ears, middle ear bones, cheekbones, and lower jaw. I have experienced 75% of the social struggles Auggie dealt with, plus attempted suicide twice during my senior year of high school and a family not allowing me to care for their child as a physician due to my appearance and speech.
Words can and do hurt.
People with facial deformities want to be treated like any other normally developed person: respected, even loved
This is why Wonder needs to be read, spread, and shared. In her book, R.J. Palacio has done an amazingly powerful job of describing what it’s like to be a kid with a facial difference.
Please read the book and educate yourselves, your children, and #ChooseKind. And see the movie.”
What an incredibly courageous person Michael Goodman is, and what a wonderful role model he is for anyone coping with the challenges of a facial deformity.
Becoming a specialist in pediatric intensive care is a remarkable accomplishment that you have achieved.
In addition, you were subjected to a great deal of emotional and mental abuse at the hands of your classmates when you were in your early teen years, etc…
Although life is difficult, it appears that all of your experiences, both positive and negative, have allowed you to develop into an incredibly fascinating and talented individual.
Please consider sharing this article as a way to honor Michael Goodman.
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