22 year old Amy Poole, from the Welsch town of Maesteg is pregnant and excited about the upcoming birth of her second child. The birth of her second her would make the young family perfect. What the doctors say however, when they do an ultrasound in the 20th week of pregnancy, pulled the young woman's feet out from under her.
On the face of the unborn child a peculiar, soft bulb is growing. A few months later as the little one enters the world, his mother, despite the warning, is completely shocked: "when they gave me Ollie to hold I was so shocked I couldn't even speak".
"He was so tiny, but on his nose was this enormous, golfball sized lump. I didn't know how to handle it. But I knew that I would love him, regardless of how he looked."
Doctors found out that the soft bulb was an encephalocele, or brain fracture. They also found a hole in the skull through which part of the brain was being pushed. The little Ollie's brain was growing out of his nose! Only 1.7 out of every 10000 births suffers this defect, though normally the hole is found at the back of the head.
Ollie grew, despite the circumstances in to a happy baby, but the bulb on his nose continued to grow too. Strangers threw remarks at this mother that bring her to tears, claiming that she should not have had him. People would continually look at the young boy and laugh.
But Ollie's gorgeous laugh alwayss mends his mother's broken heart. The older he gets however, the larger the lump, and also the greater the health risk from this hole in his head. Each contact could potentially be a serious injury.
As a result, Ollie must undergo more intensive surgery at just 9 months old. The operation would close the hole, and leave behind a huge zig-zag scar across his entire head.
During the whole process his mother suffered the worst. But as her little boy woke up, and despite the unimaginable pain, smiled at her, she knew: everything would be alright.
The enormous scar healed and the soft lump has all but disappeared from his sweet face. And even if Ollie will never look like the other children, his mother loves him unconditionally.
"Ollie is a one of a kind, clever, funny boy, and he surprises me every day. He's my very special little Pinocchio and I will never stop loving him."
In the future, his devoted mother hopes that all children, even the 'different' ones, can interact without being bullied. Share her and Ollie's story to show your support for the family.
