Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video.

Only one in five million people are born with Hallerman-Streiff Syndrome. Michelle Kish is one of them. She is now an adult but is often mistaken for a child.

When people see Michelle Kish, who is no in her 20s, they often think that she’s a child.

That’s because her condition, Hallerman-Streiff Syndrome, has resulted in a facial deformation and dwarfism.

Of the 28 possible symptoms that come with Hallerman-Streiff Syndrome, Kish has 26 of them. Luckily for her, one of the two symptoms that she has avoided is severe mental impairment

Kish’s mother, Mary, had had a normal pregnancy. The doctors detected no abnormalities leading up to the birth.

It was only when Michelle came into the world that her parents realized that she would be different.

When Kish was born, her condition was so rare that there had been only 250 confirmed cases. In fact, doctors could not initially diagnose her. Eventually, a geneticist was able to define the syndrome.

Mary has admitted that she initially struggled to come to terms with having a child with a significant syndrome. In fact, she describes her initial reaction as being “devastated.” However, over the years, Mary and her husband, Brad, have been able to appreciate Kish for who she is.

They now describe her as being, “smart as a whip,” and, “one of the happiest 20-year-olds,” that they’ve ever known.

There is no denying that Kish has a full life. She has hobbies like anyone else, such as gaming, watching TV and playing with her dog.

Kish does face some limitations that she wishes she didn’t have. For instance, she is unable to swim, which she has always wanted to do.

She also has to visit hospitals on a frequent basis. Kish even describes the hospital as her second home.

In addition to these limitations, Kish does sometimes suffer from loneliness. Her family, of course, loves her unconditionally. But she has always struggled with forming friendships.

However, Kish is hopeful to one day have a boyfriend of her own. Kish’s ideal boyfriend would have long hair. In fact, that’s her main requirement, looks wise.

Kish’s elder sister, Sarah, has told her a lot about the realities of having a boyfriend, however.

She has stated that it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. She has also reminded Kish that she’s a confident, independent woman, and in many ways, that can be more important than being in a relationship.

Another incredible thing about Kish, as stated by her mother, is that she is able to light up other people’s lives.

“If someone’s having a bad day, you don’t even have to say a word to her, and she’ll say, ‘Mom, are you ok?'” – Mary Kish.

Kish also aspires to have a career in medicine.

Her dream job would be to be a pediatric doctor in an emergency room. However, if she is unable to gain this role, she would also love to become a fashion designer or an actress.

Kish is an incredibly resilient person. She may have a condition that makes her different than the average twenty-something, but she does not let that get her down.

Hopefully, Kish will go on to achieve her dreams.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: BBC Three, Little Things