When Nicole Hall gave birth to her daughter, she expected the usual whirlwind of exhaustion, joy, and adjustment that comes with new motherhood. What she didn’t expect was to find herself leading a worldwide conversation about beauty, acceptance, and the power of embracing difference.
Her daughter, Winry, was born with a rare skin condition called congenital melanocytic nevi, or CMN — a large, dark birthmark covering part of her face. The moment the nurses placed Winry in her arms, Nicole noticed something unusual.
“When they handed her to me, I thought it was a bruise,” she recalled. “But within seconds, I realized it wasn’t. It looked like a mole — darker, larger than anything I’d ever seen before.”
At first, Nicole and her husband were stunned. They had never heard of CMN, and for a few moments, confusion and worry filled the delivery room. Doctors quickly assured them that Winry was healthy, but the birthmark would require monitoring and care as she grew.
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