With her beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous red hair, the birth of “perfect” Tilly Dewse was the icing on the cake for her delighted parents.
Mum Sarah Long had met her partner Paul Dewse three years earlier and they “couldn’t have been happier” with the little girl who completed their family.
But then within weeks a red “dot” appeared on Tilly’s head which developed into a painful looking lump sparking the stares of strangers.
Adults even used to quiz Sarah as to how her little girl “had hurt herself”, while other children would point and stare.
Her family eventually discovered the growth was a vascular birthmark and two years on Tilly is thriving, thanks to a series of general anaesthetic treatments and injections.
Now both Sarah and Paul, who works for ConocoPhillips at Seal Sands, are keen to help other parents of birthmark sufferers by talking about their experience.
Sarah, 41, told how the Marske family, including her older daughters Charlotte, 17, and Hannah, 13, were delighted at Tilly’s arrival 10 days early on January 5, 2013.
The only shock was her red hair, which comes from brunette Sarah’s grandad.
But what started as a “couple of little stork bites” on her face, quickly developed into the birthmark that once drew unpleasant stares.
Sarah said: “Neither of my other two girls had birthmarks and I didn’t.
"She had a couple of little stork bites that they often have when they are born, but then this red dot appeared just abover her ear.
“By the time she was seven weeks, it had at first spread into a flat red mark that wasn’t raised, but had then gradually started to come out bigger and bigger and appear raised.
“It was very, very red, but then underneath, it was blue and purple.
"It looked taut and angry, even though there is no evidence to say they cause any pain.”
Not convinced by the assurances of her health visitor and staff at a local SureStart centre, who said the mark was nothing and would likely disappear by the time she was three, concerned Sarah spent a whole weekend researching the mark online.
Initial fears her seven week old daughter might have a tumour were soon quashed, when she saw other pictures of birthmarks - and realised help was close at hand in the form of a specialist unit at James Cook University Hospital, led by Mr Tobian Muir.
“We are lucky because in Norfolk, where I used to live, we would have to travel to London and back for treatment,” said Sarah.
“Even though I was told it was nothing, my instinct was to find out more because, as a mum, you’re just concerned.”
Sarah asked her doctor to arrange an appointment with Mr Muir which was done within weeks.
The consultant gave the family the choice to leave it or begin treatment and he has looked after Tilly ever since.
And the family say they are indebted to both him and the Birthmark Support Group for the help they have given the family.
Sarah said: “It didn’t seem to be hurting her or upsetting her, our main concern was ulceration if we damaged it when brushing her hair or her catching it or banging her head.
“We were also worried about what damage it might be doing underneath because it is growing very near her ear canal and we were worried about her hearing.”
After making the decision to undergo treatment, Tilly began taking medication which made a difference within weeks, said Sarah.
Mr Muir then suggested the treatment continue with injections into the birthmark itself, when Tilly was about six months old.
James Cook was the first hospital in Western Europe to offer the treatment, which is also used for cancer patients, for birthmarks.
Sarah said: “The most sore thing for her was having a cannula in her foot and the tiredness after the general anaesthetic, but she did incredibly well.
“James Cook were just absolutely amazing and they would always be on the phone after we got back home to check she was ok.
“I couldn’t have wished for better treatment.”
Tilly’s last injection was in January and the family will return to the hospital in two weeks’ time to discuss the next step.
Meanwhile the youngster has been gaining in confidence at playgroups and music groups, with big sisters who dote on her.
And at just two, Tilly is even looking forward to becoming an aunt to sister Charlotte’s baby boy who is due in a couple of weeks.
Sarah said: “She gets a lot from playgroups and her music group, as it gives her the chance to mix with other children and she’s got a lot of confidence from it.
“That will help her when she goes to school because she is going to get asked a lot of questions.
“In the future, she might have to have two very small operations if it does go flat because her skin will have been slightly stretched but it’s under her hairline now, so we will see.
“At the end of the day, she’s no different to any other child now.”
Sarah, who is the UK helpline co-ordinator for Birthmark Support Group, is organising a family fun day to raise funds for the Birthmark Support Group on August 29 2015, at Saltburn Leisure Centre, from 1pm to 5pm.
Facepainting, Jolly Babies music sessions a dancefit display, bouncy castle mini treatments from Beauty By Emma plus raffle and tombola will be among the activities on offer, as well as a range of toy, craft and clothes stalls.
For more information on the Birthmark Support Group, click here.
