Casey: Learning to love my birthmark took quite a while. I definitely struggled to meet people.
Once they saw my picture, they would just not want to date me.
I've had 13 laser surgeries and the birthmark on my eye used to actually go down
and cover about half my nose.
It's definitely shrunk in appearance.
I was insecure about it, especially in high school.
High school’s, full of insecurities.
And so I always thought you need to look
the same as everybody else.
My name is Casey Hall and I have a port wine stain birthmark
and it covers most of the left side of my face.
Port Wine stains are a malformation of the capillaries.
So the capillaries are the smallest blood vessels
and they're closer to the surface than they should be.
My lip, it's a vascular malformation.
As far as I know, it's a vein that goes behind my lip.
I definitely struggled to meet people because once they like saw my picture,
they would just not like want to date me.
I was kind of at a point where in my life; I was really down on myself
and going through some mental health issues.
And self esteem was definitely a big factor in my life.
My husband and I met on an app.
Jacob: It was one of those messaging apps, you know, you could post
some anonymous thought she posted something,
I just saw it. Casey: You never pull my chair out.
Jacob: Something about it. We just started talking, hit it off.
Maybe three weeks after we started talking when
you know, the whole can I at least see your face to
get to know what you look like. So I can,
you know, put a face to the voice I'm hearing on the other end of the line.
And she was very hesitant. When I saw her it was just
the smile that immediately came to her face.
And it was a powerful moment.
Next thing you know, a couple months later, I was flying out here to meet her,
for the first time. And what six months after that we're engaged.
When someone's out and about and they're staring…
grown adults, I tend to just stare them down
just because I know they don't appreciate it.
And I know Casey doesn't appreciate being stared at.
Casey: I have to realise that people are not used to different.
And having a birthmark is different.
Birthmarks come in all shapes and colours and sizes.
And it's, it's a learning process.
You learn something new every day.
Learning to love my birthmark took quite a while.
I definitely through social media was able to learn
that and see these other strong women and realise if they can do it, I can do it.
I feel that by finding other people who share similar stories
or the same story, then I have a kindred spirit. And I know that I'm not alone.
My Instagram account is public because
I want to show people that birthmarks are a normal thing.
Even if they may have not come across it.
I know that because I'm different, I can be a source of information which is really empowering.
Mom, what are the toppings again? Cheese,
Kari: Pineapple, ham, pepperoni, or Canadian bacon.
There was lots of times when we were out shopping,
that people would go oh, did you get into mommy's lipstick?
So Reese I'm going to eat your… it’s stuck. It’s stuck?
Jacob: Yes. Kari: No, what is going on there?
People were, people are rude and nasty.
So that was really hard to deal with.
Casey: Oh buddy, oh yeah.
Kari: I think she's overcome a lot. And she's a very strong person.
Casey: I guess I've gotten more used to being in the public eye.
Like especially through Instagram and Facebook.
I have to realise that I
won't be able to shield myself from the world.
People are going to stare and I have gotten over it.
I have learned to love my birth mark.
When I look at my reflection in the mirror,
I see a beautiful confident woman who can take on the world.