'MY JOURNEY'
I’m the only little person in my family & look nothing like my parents – I’m unique, says Traitors’ star Meryl Williams
Meryl has also undergone surgery over a 'big insecurity'
A TRAITORS winner has opened up about her dwarfism journey while sharing adorable pictures from her childhood.
Meryl Williams, 27, has achondroplasia, where your torso is average height but your legs and arms are shorter.
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Talking about her condition on social media, Meryl said: "I was misdiagnosed numerous times after being born before being diagnosed with dwarfism.
"Type, achondroplasia. It makes my arms and legs a lot shorter than an average person.
"I started learning how to walk later at 19 months.
"My family had never heard of dwarfism before and had to try and figure out the best way to help me."
The social media influencer, based in Edinburgh, added: "I loved South Africa but it was in my best interest we moved to the UK.
"My mum and I moved to the UK leaving all my family behind.
"I am the only little person in my family. My parents are both average height.
"Because of my condition I don’t look like my parents.
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"The world was not made for me. I have to adapt myself to the world.
"It is a struggle but it makes me unique. I am so lucky to have [my] people around me."
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We told last summer how Meryl, who bagged a share of £101,000 for winning The Traitors as part of The Faithful, feels "more confident than ever" after having forehead reduction surgery.
The former call centre worker said she had the procedure because her forehead had always been a "big insecurity".
The surgery, which can cost upwards of £5,000, involves bringing the hairline lower down the forehead and removing excess skin and bone.
Meryl says she has had surgery before, but this is the first time she's had it done for cosmetic reasons.
And while she has no regrets about the procedure, she was concerned she would face backlash over it.
What is achondroplasia?
Achondroplasia is a genetic disorder that affects bone growth, resulting in dwarfism.
It is the most common form of dwarfism, occurring in about 1 in every 15,000 to 40,000 live births.
The condition is caused by a mutation in the FGFR3 gene, which leads to abnormal growth of cartilage, particularly in the long bones of the arms and legs.
This abnormal cartilage growth results in shortened bones, leading to the characteristic features of achondroplasia.
While achondroplasia is a genetic condition, it usually occurs sporadically, meaning it is not typically inherited from parents who do not have the condition themselves.
Individuals with achondroplasia have a 50% chance of passing the condition on to their children if they have children with a partner who also carries the mutated gene.
She added: "I was a bit worried that other people might criticise me for trying to play with something that I was born with, but it was just a personal decision."
Her condition also doesn't stop the star from wearing high street fashion as her gran is always on hand to tailor her Zara and Mango outfits.
She even customised Meryl's frock for the National Television Awards.
Meryl, a former call centre worker, won the BBC's The Traitors after correctly guessing a fellow contestant was a “traitor”.
She and fellow Faithfuls Aaron Evans and Hannah Byczkowski bagged a share of the winnings, allowing her to start a new career as an influencer.
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She said: "Being on The Traitors completely changed my life. The money from the show has allowed me to do what I'm doing.
"It's opened a lot of doors and has broadened my horizons.”
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