Meet Sara Geurts, a 33-year-old woman who celebrates her unique beauty despite living with a rare skin disorder. She shares body-positive messages to inspire others and recounts her experiences growing up with a different appearance. Geurts motivates everyone by saying, “You’re beautiful, and you can achieve whatever you want.”

When Sara Geurts was 10 years old, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that affects her skin and joints. This condition impairs collagen production, causing her skin to become fragile and wrinkled at a young age. Geurts recalls that her dream of becoming a model seemed unlikely due to this diagnosis.

A beauty campaign transformed her life entirely.

In 2015, Geurts decided to share her story through the Love Your Lines campaign, which celebrates unique skin features. The campaign invited people to submit their stories and photos of their conditions. Geurts’ submission was accepted and featured by the #LoveYourLines campaign.

“My lines make me, me. Each line holds beauty, and is beautiful in its own way. No one else carries the exact lines I have, and this is what I consider to be truly beautiful,” she said.

She opens up about her biggest insecurity, her skin, and confesses that she used to hide it in high school. She reveals that she didn’t want to discuss it and felt like she was being dishonest. Her story goes beyond herself; it resonates with millions of others who struggle with their own self-perception and body image.

Geurts revealed that it took her some time to cultivate the confidence she now embraces, despite having a strong social media following and appearing in a short film. Reflecting in an essay for The Mighty, she discussed how a past relationship in her early twenties opened her eyes to the profound impact of her body image struggles on both herself and her loved ones.

Geurts opted to pursue photography and modeling rather than conceal herself, aiming to challenge the narrow standards of beauty imposed by the fashion and beauty industries. She voiced her determination to dismantle the invisible pressures of perfection that impact all aspects of life, from work and socializing to personal interactions.

Navigating this journey alone would undoubtedly be incredibly challenging, but Sara is fortunate to have supportive people by her side. One of those cherished individuals is her mom, with whom Sara recently shared a photo. The caption read, “Thank you for all the amazing memories, love, and light you have brought into our lives thus far. All the countless more blessings and memories to come.”

There are countless inspiring individuals who motivate others to pursue their dreams and conquer obstacles. Their stories and accomplishments serve as a powerful reminder that with dedication and perseverance, anything is possible.