Hello. My name is Marwa Ibrahim and I am 27 years old from Lebanon.
I was diagnosed with Stargardt disease at the age of 16. First it was really hard for me to understand that my life would be a bit different than normal teenagers. I can’t see everything normally. There were many obstacles I should understand that I can’t do. I can't drive, I can’t cross roads alone, can’t read or study normally. It was challenging for me to finish university with my case since I wasn't yet used to the new lifestyle I will be living through.
Okay, now it is still really hard for me to accept that I have a case different than others and I go through many difficult situations in my daily life.
My message for whoever is struggling with a rare disease — stay positive, stay happy. Think that the disease is the reason why you are special. Just like me. Even though I struggle from many situations, I feel my case made me special and Stargardt made me have star eyes.
Evening photo of Marwa Ibrahim standing on a bridge overlooking the Seine River in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
