We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Cavalier. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Ashley , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

At a few months old, I was diagnosed with a rare bone disease, Olliers Disease, (later diagnosed as Maffucci Syndrome) where multiple benign tumors form near the growth plates causing deformities of the bone. I underwent multiple surgeries as I continued to grow to correct the deformities and new developments that presented. As I matured into a young woman, my physical differences became more apparent and my insecurities grew even bigger. There was no one that I could relate to in my every day life and there was a lack of disability representation in society. I often felt isolated and it was a silent struggle of mine for many years. I decided as an adult that I wanted to share my journey through a children’s book, for the little girl in me that never felt she would fit society’s standards of beauty. I decided that I wanted to share a story so that children with differences and disabilities everywhere would have someone they could relate to.

Ashley , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a resident of Baton Rouge, LA and currently work at Unum, a Fortune 500 Company, that provides insurance benefits. I was born with a condition called Olliers Disease, a bone disease, where tumors develop near the growth plate causing deformities of the bone. Some of these deformities are asymmetrical growth, in which my left arm and leg are shorter than the right, bowing in the right leg and scoliosis to name a few. As an early teen, I was later re-diagnosed due to vascular tumors also presenting. I later discovered this condition, Maffucci Syndrome, was even more rare and affects about 200 people worldwide. Being 1 in 200 people with such a rare condition changed my entire perspective. I went from refusing to accept the one thing that set me apart from so many people, to feeling an obligation in sharing my story in order to spread awareness. A year ago, I decided to share my story through a children’s book and became a published author of “Doctor, Do You Know.” This story details my experiences as a child, navigating my disease with my doctor. “Doctor, Do You Know” is dedicated to my orthopedist who I have now been a patient of for twenty-nine years. I wrote this book in the hopes it would be a conversation starter about showing compassion to others who may be different from you, while also embracing everything that makes you, you.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

On January 1st, 2020, I decided to create an instagram account under the name “scarrednotscorn” and dedicated it to spreading awareness to Maffucci Syndrome and personal journey. My first photo on the account was from my first photoshoot in which I sat showing all of my scars. The caption read: “ 1 in 200 “ •those were 3 of the words that my doctor spoke to my mother as I laid in recovery from my 15th+ surgery• My name is Ashley and I was born with Olliers Disease. Olliers Disease is a rare bone disease characterized by multiple tumors of the bone (medically specified as multiple enchondromatosis). This is when benign cartilage grows near the growth plates. It’s most common in the hands, feet, and limbs, but it can also be found in the vertebrae, skull and spine. Most of everything I named is how my body is affected by this unpredictable disease. Cure? There is none, but to try and live life as comfortably as possible. I’d like to think that I’m doing just that. Over the past years, I’ve cried out to God asking him not to heal my body but to heal my state of mind. See, it’s not the countless operations or treatments I went through that inflicted the most pain. It was the fact that I couldn’t even begin to accept or understand why it was me who had to go through it all. Now at age 25, I decided to stop being ashamed, embarrassed and hiding every part of me that makes me so different and sets me apart from everyone else. I asked God for forgiveness and stopped questioning the why. Instead, I started to look in the mirror and ask myself “Why not?” This is ME, MY story, MY journey of embracing EVERY piece of me. I AM 1 IN 200.
#olliersdisease #bonedisease #rare #1in200 #world #awareness #thisisme #ashley #flaws #scars #loveyourself #truth #handicapable #black #beautiful #blackgirlmagic #selflove #selfworth #blessed #faith #godfidence #scarsarebeautiful #different #explorepage

In spite of all my insecurities and body dysmorphia, I decided to be vulnerable and most of all be myself. That would be the one piece of advice I’d give to anyone working to build their social media presence. Be yourself, people gravitate towards that.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Since opening up and spreading awareness to my disability, I’ve been able to connect and reach people all over the world. Some of which, who have had similar experiences navigating a chronic illness. I’ve also continued to learn more about my disease through others also affected. The connection has been the most rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-You-Know-Ashley-Cavalier/dp/B0BKXKB866/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1O1SXUW8A69IJ&keywords=doctor+do+you+know&qid=1698036679&sprefix=doctor+do+you%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1
• Instagram: @doyouknow_ashley
• Facebook: Ashley Cavalier
• Linkedin: Ashley Cavalier

Image Credits
Davion Delmore