How do you think you would feel if wherever you go people would stare at you, or perhaps even point at you because the way you look? For Jono Lancaster this has been a reality since his birth. His “disfigured” face has been the target of many verbal attacks, but this has never altered him.
Jono Lancaster is a young man of 30 from Wakefield, England, who was born with a very rare condition. He suffers from Treacher Collins syndrome, a gene defect that affects the development of facial features. After seeing him for the first time, his mother abandoned him without ever wanting to get in touch with him again.
A nurse named Jean tried for five years to contact his parents, but she always met a categorical refusal from their part to meet their child. At a point Jean decided to adopt the boy and try to make his life as beautiful as possible. The misfortunes he encountered at school marked Jono very hard, but never discouraged him.
Today he feels a fulfilled man, proud of his physical appearance and endowed with an amazing self-confidence. Because of his is experiences, Jono decided to help other children suffering from the same illness, and his BBC show offers the best opportunity to accomplish his mission.