I’m Laura, and I’m proud to say that this year I will be running the London Marathon to support Changing Faces. I hope that people read my London Marathon story and feel inspired to embrace their visible difference as a unique part of who they are.
Running was never something I thought I’d enjoy, but after completing Couch to 5k during lockdown and pushing myself to run a half marathon in 2021, I realised I was capable of more. After recovering from an ACL tear, I knew I wanted to take on something big again when I was fully recovered. The London Marathon felt like the perfect challenge, especially for a cause close to my heart.
Changing Faces provides support for people with visible differences, like myself, and campaigns for equality and respect. I was born with a birthmark and I’ve had many moments throughout my life where I’ve thought: “Why does my skin have to be like this? Why can’t I look like other women?” One day, I started searching for birthmark support groups – anything that could help me connect with people who understood the mental weight of having a visible difference.
One big milestone for me was going into a shop for the first time without makeup.
That’s when I discovered Changing Faces, and it completely shifted my perspective. I found a community filled with representation, support, and most of all, inspiration. Seeing others share their stories made me realise I wasn’t alone. It gave me hope and strength to embrace my own journey and helped me understand that our visible differences don’t define us – our confidence, courage, and self-acceptance do.
My connection to Changing Faces deepened recently during some big life moments, like picking out my wedding dress. Trying on wedding dresses should have been a moment of excitement, but it was tainted by the fact that I felt I had to wear long sleeves to cover up my birthmark. I felt like I couldn’t just pick any dress like others could. Then, thinking about the possibility of having a child one day, I had to ask myself: “How can I teach them to accept and love themselves if I can’t do it for myself?”
That realisation was a turning point, and it pushed me to take this leap—not just in running the marathon, but in embracing who I am. For me, there were so many reasons not to run the marathon. Not only because it is a massive physical challenge, but because I was worried about showing my birthmark in public and being vulnerable to the world. But, sometimes when there’s so many reasons not to do something, that’s absolutely why you should!
Laura wants her younger self to be proud
I want to be the person I needed growing up. Back then, there wasn’t much awareness or representation of people with visible differences. I never saw anyone who looked like me, particularly at school, and that lack of visibility made me feel alone. By running the London Marathon and sharing my story, I want younger me to be proud of how far I’ve come, standing tall and embracing my skin at one of the UK’s biggest events.
Before I applied for the London Marathon, and before I decided to embrace my birthmark, I would put on makeup before every run to cover it up. Now, I run makeup-free without a second thought—and I feel proud doing it. At first, I found it difficult. I wore hats and looked down whenever I passed someone, avoiding their eye contact. Now, I wear a hat only when the sun’s out, and I lift my head up, smile, and say hi to people as I run past. It’s liberating.
One big milestone for me was going into a shop for the first time without makeup. That might seem small to some, but for me, it was a huge step in building confidence in both myself and my appearance. And I plan to keep taking these steps towards self-acceptance. My next milestone might be going makeup-free at work, on holiday, or wearing vest tops and swimsuits that aren’t long sleeve. These milestones might seem small to others, but to me, they’re huge. I’m not there yet, but I’m getting closer.
Sharing my London Marathon story with Changing Faces has been a milestone too. At first, the idea of putting myself out there felt terrifying. But the Changing Faces community has inspired me so much, and I knew I wanted to be part of that—to give back some of the strength they’ve helped me find. I hope that by continuing to share my journey, I can encourage others to start theirs, too.
