Michelle Lai, United States (US), California

Hi everyone! My name is Michelle and I am 23 years old. I reside in Monterey Park, CA and am a recent graduate at UC Riverside. I have Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) on the right side of my face. Before VBF, I was misdiagnosed, have been through numerous unsuccessful and traumatizing surgeries as a kid, and was hopeless. Frustrated with the cycle of doctors turning me away, referring me to other doctors and giving me and my family no clear direction in treating me, I neglected treatment for 7 years. It wasn’t until 2016 when I came across VBF. I am so grateful for the transformative surgeries Dr. Waner, Dr. O, and Dr. Berenstein have done for me over the last 3 years. Now that I am more knowledgeable about the available resources and treatments, I want to spread awareness to anyone with a vascular birthmark and provide a positive platform of acceptance, embracing differences, and educating others about vascular birthmarks through my experience living with one.