HEATHERINGTON
MAKES MARK ON CLARKSON COLLEGE
At 5-feet tall, Lacey
Heatherington is as tall as she's ever going to be. Over the years, she's
endured nearly a handful of surgeries, and the pain of children's taunts. Her
right eye doesn't see the way her left does and she's not the best at playing
basketball.
Today, though, she's trying to survive
nutrition class as she pursues a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Heatherington was born with a
cavernous hemangioma covering much of the right side of her body, both
externally and internally. Visible scars cover her face, neck and her scalp.
"Most people think it's a burn,
like I've been in a house fire," she candidly said. "I was the butt
of all the jokes. My friends are the ones who ask me questions, and once they
get to know me they know it doesn't rule my life."
Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Heatherington's
parents and doctors weren't sure what to do with her birthmark. Though today it
is estimated that one out of 50 births has some form of hemangiomas. Her case
had been quite rare by 1982 standards.
Soon after her diagnosis, she
underwent surgery at The Nebraska Medical Center to input a trachea. The
inflamed hemangioma made her lungs work harder, and as a result she would have
the apparatus until her preschool years.
She also experienced a series of high
dose steroids to stop the hemangioma's growth.
"It really messes with your
body," she said about the steroids. "I'm as tall as I'm going to be,
I'm a late bloomer. My stomach and curves are different."
Associate Professor of Nursing, Jill
Dougherty, C.P.N.P., M.S., R.N., has 25-years of experience in pediatric care.
"Parents," she said, "have many questions once their child has
been diagnosed with a hemangioma. Because of the different variations, treatment
differs. Steroid treatments have several affects.
Patients can become 'moon faced,' where they have a
rounder face. They may develop skin rashes or skin changes, hyperglycemia and
blood sugar problems. They may even have mood changes or problems sleeping."
Friend, Susan Willis, a Radiologic
Technology and Medical Imaging student, said in the short time she's known Heatherington,
she's noticed the nursing student's will to help others. And, that she pushes
on, despite what others might view as a boundary.
"She's an angel to my life in
showing me and reminding me that it really doesn't matter what a person looks
like or the color of their skin, etc.," Willis said. "It matters what
is in that person's heart."
Heatherington encourages children that
were also born with hemangiomas to believe in themselves and don't be
discouraged by cruel classmates. "Don't shelter yourself," she said.
"If you have a favorite teacher, go to your mom, your dad, your family,
tell them. They do care; they just don't know that it's going on. Don't be
around people who are going to be mean to you. Don't hold it all in."
by Melissa Kucerik
