CYNTHIA MURPHY: I was very judged and very mistreated by people who didn’t know me.
So I lived a very troubled life and I just felt helpless.
COMM: 32-year-old Cynthia Murphy was born with a rare craniofacial disorder called Treacher
Collins Syndrome.
CYNTHIA MURPHY: Treacher Collins Syndrome is where the facial bones are affected, bone
tissue and you are lacking those less necessary elements to keep your face together in place.
I have had 16 plus plastic surgeries on my face including a major jaw reconstruction
and I am set to get a second one this next year. It’s been a long process that started
when I was 12 years old. I had a very difficult childhood growing up; I got beat up after
school, things thrown at me. It hurt, it hurt a lot to be labelled as someone who was ugly
and deformed and stupid and incapable. I, sometimes I still don’t know how I got through it.
COMM: Having struggled to make friends growing up due to her condition, Cynthia then met
her husband, Thane. They have now been married for 11 years.
THANE MURPHY: What is Cynthia like as a person? It’s very hard to explain somebody so wonderful
to be honest with you.
CYNTHIA MURPHY: Everyday I am grateful that I met him because before I was a very lost person.
I just didn’t see it happening. You know, your whole life you, you just don’t, you know..
CYNTHIA MURPHY: I am very grateful everyday for my husband and our dogs and the life that
we have. It’s hard to, kind of, look back on that but it is really, it does empower
me and it makes me believe, like, ‘No matter what you have been through, you can get through it.'
THANE MURPHY: I didn’t know anything about Treacher Collins to be honest with you until
I met, met Cynthia and when I met Cynthia, I didn’t, I didn’t look at her as her
having any kind of disability to be quite honest with you. Cynthia’s condition affected
her confidence in a lot of ways.
CYNTHIA MURPHY: It wasn’t until I started advocating for craniofacial when I was 30
that I fully accepted myself.
COMM: Cynthia now runs an online community to help others with Treacher Collins and has
also set-up a lifestyle app.
CYNTHIA MURPHY: I am very proud of the community that we’ve built on Facebook especially.
We built a secure environment. There are several groups; I run a few of them. It’s all about
sharing all the resources out there.
CYNTHIA MURPHY: I didn’t have much help growing up; I came from a broken home. And
there were no books on craniofacial disorders. I had no guidance; I had to get through everything
on my own. Social media is huge, it’s huge for helping the craniofacial community because
you get the awareness, you learn what other people have been through and we are all here
to support each other.
THANE MURPHY: I mean if we can change one person’s life-that’s all our goal is and
I don’t think I can come up with the words to describe how proud I am of Cynthia. She,
she is amazing. She completes me and I believe that I complete her. And it’s, it’s just
the team effort. I see the most beautiful woman in the world and I know a lot of people
say that but I say that with all sincerity and honesty.
CYNTHIA MURPHY: He helped me reach a point of confidence I never had before. I never
thought I was worthy. I never thought I was lovable. Beauty is inner and he saw that in
me when we first met. I just didn’t see it in myself.