Born to Inspire (Part 1) - NICK VUJICIC

"Problems itself will make us bigger than them" 

- Anjali Sharma (me)   :)

This blog named "BORN TO INSPIRE"  is dedicated to the two most courageous people in the world who got inspiration from their own stories and decided to fight back. They both became motivational speaker and they are NICK VUJICIC & LIZZIE VELASQUEZ (You will read about LIZZIE in the next blog, born to inspire - part 2) 

The challenges in our lives are there to STRENGTHEN our CONVICTIONS. They are NOT there to run us over - Nick Vujicic 

I believe, we come in this world to learn our life lessons and to grow, to evolve our soul and to become a better and kind soul. We all have a different life path and different lessons to learn. And in this journey Almighty is always there to help us, to guide us through the pain and sufferings.

God chosen Nick Vujicic as a guiding light for others, an inspiration, a story of courage for others. 

Nick is an epitome of god's existence. Nick's determination to love life has proved that human soul is such a powerful being that its determination is beyond all physical aspects.  

NICK VUJICIC - Nick Vujicic, Melbourne, Australia was born on 4th DEC 1982 without limbs though, he has two small feet and also one feet has two toes. This is a very rare syndrome know as tetra-amelia. 

As a child when he started going to a mainstream school, he became the target for bullies and at the age of eight he went into severe depression. At the age of 10, he tried to commit suicide by drowning himself into a bath tub. That was not his last suicide attempt. But every time he tried to die, he was saved. Surely God had some other plans for him. Soon Nick realized that he want to be with his loved ones as he was blessed with great supportive parents and siblings. For their love Nick decided to live.

His entire childhood was full of ups and downs. He use to pray to god to give him limbs and to make him a normal human being. However, his life changed when he saw a boy with the same disabilities and realized that he was not alone in his struggles and he decided to be thankful for the god's gift called life. 

He decided to motivate others and to become an inspiration. 

He became more thankful for life and started doing his basic work by himself. He learned to write with the help of his two toes on the left foot. He also learned to play drum pedals. He can comb by himself, can take a glass of water. brush his teeth, he can also use computer, he can shave on his own. And this is not the end of the list, he also take part in swimming, sky-diving, soccer etc. 

He started giving motivational speeches in school as well as college and became very popular among students. During his college while perusing management subjects, Nick practiced developing his abilities as a speaker. 

He launched his Non profit ministry know as "Life without limbs". Also, he created his company "Attitude is Altitude". 

Today "Nick Vujicic" is a very well known name. He is famous world wide as a Motivational Speaker with a great inspirational story as Himself. He travels worldwide to motivate people. He spread his message of faith and hope to the world through - television shows, his book, videos, DVDs like - "NO ARMS NO WORRIES", "LIFE'S GREATER PURPOSE". 

Also, he created a short film in 2009, "The butterfly circle" which won the award for the best short film and Nick was awarded as the best actor in a short film.

 Nick's Message - "Dream big and never give up. We all make mistakes, but none of us are mistakes. Take one day at a time. Embrace the positive attitudes, perspectives and truths I share, and u too will overcome" - NICK VUJICIC.  

Nick got married on 12 February 2012 with Kanae Miyahara and on 13 February 2013, they were blessed with a baby boy. 

It was an honor writing about "Nick Vujicic" 

Hope you get inspired !....

Take care. :)

-Anjali Sharma 

Born to Inspire (Part 2) - Lizzie Velasquez

Extraordinary  Lizzie Velasquez 

 The Motivational Speaker 

                                         by- Anjali Sharma 

"Tough times never last but tough people do"

Lizzie Velasquez - Meet Lizzie, 24 yrs old lady was born in 1989 , Austin,Texas. When she was born, she weighted 2 pounds and 11 ounces only. She was so small that her clothes were bought from toy stores as the clothes of normal baby size were too big for her. Doctors told her mother she could not be able to walk, talk and lead a normal life but despite of that Lizzie's brain, bones, organs and teeth were all normal. 

Lizzie was born without ADIPOSE TISSUE, it means her body cannot store fat. She has zero percent body fat. Her syndrome is so rare that only 2 more people in the world are known to have this syndrome. Doctors are not able to diagnose the exact reason of the Lizzie's health condition. This exceptional case has made doctors all over the world go spellbound. Lizzie Velasquez is also a part of genetic study.

In order to survive she consumes 5000 calories per day. Despite of eating 60 small meals in a day, her body weight remains at 58 lbs to 60 lbs (27 kg approx).

This syndrome has also effected her eye vision. She is unable to see from her right eye and also, her left eye has limited vision. In appearance she is very thin and has already aging skin due to the Progeria. 

Lizzie As Anti bully Activist - More than health sufferings, she suffered bullies. People use to stare and tease her. She was called as the "ugliest woman of the world by cyber bullies".  This was heart breaking for Lizzie. After living the painful years of  mental torture, Lizzie gathered the broken pieces of her heart and decided to fight back the bullies.

In 2007 this courageous woman decided to become a "MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER". She decided to tell her story to the world and the real meaning of "BEAUTIFUL". She wrote two books -

 "BE BEAUTIFUL, BE YOU" & "LIZZIE BEAUTIFUL". The determined lady started delivering motivational speech to the youth in Texas and soon became very popular and successful. Her motivating words helped many people to get out of their shell and face the world. She also created video on YOU TUBE - "IT GETS BETTER", which became very popular with more than 3 lac viewers.

As she believes that any form of bullying really hurts, this young passionate motivational speaker also works as a ANTI BULLY ACTIVIST.

*Lizzie has proved that "crying never helps, courage do". "Get out of your shell, i.e. your self conciousness".You are unique and that's what is best about you. 

Always remember that we all are beautiful powerful souls and we are always accepted by ALMIGHTY no matter how we look. Everything you are looking for is inside you :) 

So, Have Faith :)   Keep moving :)  Adore yourself   :)

- ANJALI SHARMA   :)

Brave Story of Tanya Angus 

                                                                                                                                       - by Anjali Sharma

                                                                

"When life knocks you down,you could choose whether or not to get back up". 

This is one of my favourite quotes from The Karate Kid (2010) movie. When i came to know about Tanya Angus, Las Vegas, Nevada, this quote came into my mind as she fought her sufferings like a warrior and helped many people.
Tanya - One of the world's tallest and heaviest woman.

Tanya Angus had Acromegaly and was the only patient of acromegaly known in the world who was unable to be treated by various surgeries and medication to control her growth hormone and stop her growth. 

Tanya Angus was born in the year 1978. She was growing up like a normal kid. She was extremely beautiful and perfectly healthy 20 years old woman when she noticed that her clothes were becoming tight and her size was increasing abnormally. At that time she was 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighted 115 pounds and 10 years later, she was 6 feet 6 inches and weighted 480 pounds and was still growing. After various diagnoses doctors declared that she is suffering from a syndrome called ACROMEGALY.

It is a syndrome in which pituitary gland produces the human growth hormone in excessive amount. Inside her pituitary gland, a brain tumor grew which caused over production of growth hormone. Doctors did multiple surgeries to remove and cure the brain tumor but unfortunately it repeatedly grew back.

Tanya's Sufferings

It is an uncommon form of disorder which causes the patient to grow to huge proportions. It was a life threatening problem for her. Generally, patients suffering from acromegaly (also known as gigantism) are very tall but in Tanya case her entire body grew in proportion. Her shoe size was double from a standard UK size 6 to UK 14. Because of her rapid growth her organs were at great risk. Tanya also quested for a cure through a TV show Bodyshock series as "HELP! I'M TURNING INTO A GIANT". 
Because of her rapid growth she no longer looked feminine. Her voice also changed and became deeper. People use to stare at her and doubt about her sex. They use to ask her, weather she was a man before. These questions were horrible for her which made her quite shy and insecure. Her life was no longer normal, her dream of having a boy friend, a job, an apartment became merely a dream.
She suffered from severe chronic pain and to control and cure the pain, heavy dose of painful pain killer injections became the part of her daily life. Doctors prescribed her dozens of medicines to be consumed daily.

Average count of the growth hormone in adult human is 250 but Tanya's hormone count was 3000, and that was the big reason to worry.Doctors were anxious about the continuous increasing level of growth hormones and were trying to bring the level down to 1000 but they were not able to do that. She was not able to walk properly and was on wheel chair. She lived with her step dad and dedicated mother who took care of her and loved her the most. More than $ 250,000 were spent on her treatment.Many people donated funds for medical expense and treatment of Tanya.

Tanya's Legacy - Courageous Good Work - Helping the Acromegaly Victims like her 

Despite of her own sufferings and pain Tanya decided to help the other Acromegaly patients and to spread awareness and knowledge. With the help of her mother she created her own website www.tanyaangus.com to help others like her. She shared her story, and shared the signs and symptoms of Acromegaly and Pituitary tumors,so that they can be diagnosed earlier and can be given cure and treatment at the right time.
She wanted that more and more people should get aware and should not suffer the way she suffered.
She use to get thousands of e-mail from the readers and patients, thanking her for helping them to get aware of their Acromegaly symptoms. Her idea of helping others and her efforts became fruitful.
Tanya Angus once said about her good work, when asked by media - "I'm doing my job, I'm getting the word out about this condition and that's all i ever wanted to do. And i just want to yell at the top of my lungs you know, 'I' have helped somebody, you know?' And its just such a good feeling." 


Ray of hope for Tanya Angus 

Doctors told her that she will get to 30 years before she die but even she celebrated her 31st birthday by the time she was almost 7 feet tall. After many years for the first time doctors discovered the new combination of drugs that reduced her level of hormone from 3000 to 500 counts. That doesn't mean that she would shrink back to normal but  it was freedom from growing anymore.
She was happy and she said-"I know i won't get any smaller, but if i don't get any bigger, that's a great comfort to me".
She was hoping that her future will be better and she can plan for future.

Rest in peace Tanya Angus - 14, January 2013 (34 years) 

Tanya Angus died on 14, January 2013 at 12:25 am, due to her heart and TIA.

I believe we come on this earth for some purpose,either to learn or to help.Our life is a learning for us or may be the inspiration for others and either side its a win-win situation because off-course destiny,fate or you can say God has plans for us.
And that's what Tanya Angus' brave story communicate to the world. This was not merely a story of a girl but a fighter spirit who despite of pain and struggle gave hope and wings to people to fight back.
She was and will remain an Epitome of strength.
"I think people like her are called, - LARGER THAN LIFE, REST IN PEACE ANGEL " <3 
 ~ Anjali Sharma 

Anjali poem (1)

Wanna find myself

Wanna know who am i ?

Wanna know the secret.

Walking in the darkness,

Feeling so lonely.

Don't know which direction to take,

Still having hope but everything seems so fake.

I always ask my heart,

When there will be the end of the dark?

Deep inside my heart, i believe my destiny is waiting for me to arrive,

And, that is a hope for me to survive.

Yes, I will survive through the phase of decline,

With open arms i will welcome the sunshine.

This is not a story,this way is my life,
For creating that difference - "I WILL BE ALIVE" !!