Abigail Jo Scruggs, United States (US), South Carolina

Hi my name is Abigail Scruggs or Abby Jo for short. I am 16 years old and have a Port Wine Stain that covers the left side of my face, from my lower lid down to my chest. It wraps around my neck and scalp in the back of my head. It crosses the mid-line at my lip down to my chest. When I was born I was diagnosed with Sturge Webber Syndrome due to the placement of my birthmark. However, after several years and multiple MRI’s, that diagnosis was reversed due to no brain involvement. I have been having PDL treatments under GA since I was 6 months old, 5-7 times a year.

I have my eyes checked for glaucoma every six months, for the rest of my life. Although the treatments take up a lot of time, I don’t let it hold me back! I sing at several venues and multiple churches in my area. I play cello in the orchestra, piano, guitar, banjo, etc and take voice lessons at a local college. I have been in pageants for the last three years. I am in honors classes at school. I have been on the student council every year and am the president of my school Beta Club. I recently went to the South Carolina Beta Convention, ran for president and won! I will go to Nationals in TX this summer and run for the national presidency! I plan on getting into politics after college and eventually become the first female President of the United States!

As my Beta Presidential slogan says, Don’t Go With The Flow, Just Keep Swimming! No matter what life throws at you, don’t get swept away by the current! Just keep swimming, just keep going, you might just change the tide!