Rose Vasconcelos Esteves and her husband Leonan, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, say their daughter Vitória, then six, would shy away from looking at her face after realizing she looked different from her younger sister Alice, four, and the rest of her family.

Physiotherapist Rose explains that although the birthmark never hindered Vitória physically in everyday life, she was determined to find ways to boost her daughter’s self-confidence.

A haemangioma is a benign collection of small blood vessels that form a raised growth under the skin. Often called “strawberry marks” because of their red, raised appearance, most cause no further problems, but some require treatment to prevent growth.

After noticing Vitória’s growing interest in photography, Rose organized fun photoshoots to help build her confidence. Vitória enjoyed dressing up in fashionable clothes, styling her hair, and applying makeup. Her self-esteem issues began to fade. In November 2019, Rose started posting the pictures on Instagram to support her daughter further.

Strangers from around the world commented on how amazing the six-year-old looked and how she inspired others facing similar self-esteem challenges. Rose says the most rewarding comments come from adults who also have haemangiomas.

However, Rose and Leonan have faced accusations of using their daughter’s condition to make money—something she insists was never her goal and which once nearly led her to quit Instagram permanently.

“Vitória has always been full of surprises,” Rose said. “Her haemangioma was a surprise to us and the entire medical team at birth. Luckily, it does not hinder her at all in day-to-day life and is only aesthetic.

She leads a normal life, but of course we have to be careful that she doesn’t fall or hit her face, as that could cause considerable damage.

Other than that, Vitória is a super healthy child and does not feel any pain from the haemangioma.

From a young age she had some problems with her self-image and didn’t want her picture taken or to see herself in the mirror. She always said she wanted to be like her sister and not have a haemangioma.”

On her decision to share images of her daughter, Rose explained: “I decided to share Vitória’s life on Instagram because we saw that she loved photography and taking pictures. As a mother I thought it would help her self-esteem, and luckily that is what has happened. Vitória is much more sure of herself, which is amazing.

The coolest comments we get are from people who also have a haemangioma similar to hers.”

While Vitória’s condition does not cause her pain, she has undergone embolization treatments every few months. These aim to reduce the blood supply to the haemangioma and prevent further growth. The family hoped that in the near future she would be able to have surgery to remove the growth.

“It’s amazing to hear people say that their lives changed after knowing Vitória and that they now feel more confident in sharing themselves with the world instead of hiding away,” Rose said.

She has also spoken about online criticism: “I was once told that I made money from my daughter’s condition. My world came crashing down when I read that comment. I wanted to drop everything and quit social media because that has never been my goal.

But when I told our fans on Instagram about this comment, they encouraged us to carry on, so that’s what we have done. We offer love, because that is what we have to give.”

Rose and Leonan’s primary wish for Vitória is the same as that of almost all parents: that their daughter is happy and healthy. With the support she receives online and the ongoing treatment, Rose remains confident those hopes will be fulfilled.

“Vitória’s current treatment involves embolizations that aim to decrease the amount of blood reaching the haemangioma, and at some point she must undergo surgery to remove the growth.

The only thing I wish for my daughter is that she is happy and that she is very healthy. Everything else is secondary to these two things.

She has such an incredible father. He’s always by our side and gives us strength every day despite the challenges we face.

The best thing about being Vitória’s mother is that it has made me a better person, something I never thought could happen. It brings light to my life.”