When Stephanie and Dan Dworksy first laid eyes on their newborn son, Kacy, they were shocked to see he had melanocytic nevus, a rare skin condition that causes large black spots all over the body.
The spots were everywhere—on his face, legs, and back, as Stephanie explained. This condition affects only 1 in 500,000 people and increases the risk of skin cancer, though the primary impact is cosmetic.
Stephanie often feels guilty about her son’s appearance, explaining, “You spend ten months doing everything you can to have a healthy pregnancy, and then you think you did something wrong.”
While Stephanie understands that Kacy’s condition makes him unique, the family is determined to raise awareness about the rare illness.
When Kacy was born on June 9, 2016, he had large black “satellites” and a Giant Arm Nevus on his left arm. Doctors warned the parents that their son might face social challenges because of his appearance, and Dan shared concerns about potential hurtful comments from others, especially kids, and the possibility that some parents might avoid their child due to fear of the unknown.
There were days when Stephanie avoided going outside, fearing her son would be mocked or bullied. “I try not to go out, and I feel so guilty about it,” she said.
Despite the challenges, the Dworksys are committed to raising awareness of Kacy’s condition, hoping that people will understand that his skin condition doesn’t define him—he’s just a sweet child like anyone else.
To help spread awareness and show that Kacy’s condition is not harmful, they hope more people will share his story.
