Lizzie Velasquez is a 21 year old, 60 pound Austin, TX woman on a mission despite a medical condition she has had since birth. Lizzie is unable to put on body fat and must eat small, frequent meals totalling 5,000 calories or more throughout the day just to maintain herself. According to Professor Abhimanyu Garg at the University of Texas, Lizzie may have a disorder similar to Neonatal Progeroid Syndrome (NPS) which causes "accelerated aging, fat loss from the face and body, and tissue degeneration." In addition, Lizzie is blind in her right eye and has limited use in her good eye, and her immune system is compromised. This is a congenital, physiological condition evident by the appearance of aging, and hawk-like features. What Lizzie doesn't have is an eating disorder.
"Every single day my mission is to get my story out there because people need to know that no matter what you look like or what you go through in your life, you don't need to be judged because of your outer appearance," Lizzie told the Today Show. "And you don't need to let that stop you. You don't need to let negativity hold you back or keep you from living your life the way you want." Her go-get-'em attitude has has enabled her to become a cheerleader and she is currently a student at Texas State University.
Her parents, Rita and Lupe, couldn't be more proud of Lizzie. "She was brought into this world with a purpose, and we're all learning from her, and we get our strength from her," says her father.
Her parents, Rita and Lupe, couldn't be more proud of Lizzie. "She was brought into this world with a purpose, and we're all learning from her, and we get our strength from her," says her father.
Lizzie (in yellow) with Today Show host and correspondent (right); family members (left to right): sister, Marina; brother, Chris; father, Lupe, and mother, Rita. There are only three people in the world with Lizzie's disorder and studies are now underway to understand this phenomena. Although Lizzie's prognosis is uncertain, she lives in the present moment with a positive attitude. Having experienced size prejudice her entire life, Lizzie is reaching out to help others with her story of self-acceptance and love. Lizzie made up her mind in middle school that one day, she was going to write a book about her life. "Lizzie Beautiful" is due out at bookstores by August 1.
Photographs, video, and book cover are courtesy of Motah, LLC and Lizzie Velasquez on Facebook.com.
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