- Joelle Amery realised clumps of hair were falling out when she was eight
- The 15-year-old suffered cruel taunts from bullies who called her ‘cancer girl’
- She was diagnosed with alopecia universalis and lost hair all over her body
- Today the teen is fronting a new campaign with the charity Alopecia UK in a bid to raise awareness and urge the government to research the condition
07:05 EST, 8 June 2014
|
07:08 EST, 8 June 2014
Joelle Amery is the face of a new Alopecia UK campaign, after losing all her hair when she was eight years old
As a child she endured the cruel taunts of her peers labelling her ‘cancer girl’ and making light of the fact she had no hair.
But Joelle Amery has never been diagnosed with cancer and she’s never had to undergo chemotherapy.
When she was eight she started to notice her hair was falling out in the shower. Within a few months she was completely bald.
Like more and more women across the UK, the teenager, who is now 15, lives with alopecia – the medical term for hair loss.
And today she is fronting a new campaign with Alopecia UK to raise awareness as experts say an increasing number of people are being diagnosed with the condition.
She said: ‘I am thrilled and honoured to be part of this charity which is close to my heart, as I feel the work of the charity is so valuable.’
Joelle developed alopecia universalis – the most extreme form of the condition which results in complete hair loss from the whole body – at the age of eight.
She was bullied as a result and it was not until last summer, six years after developing the condition, that she revealed herself without a wig for the first time.
She became an internet sensation when a video she released of her music video went viral and received 200,000 hits on YouTube.
However, she told her story to MailOnline, explaining that her flowing brown locks in the video were actually a wig.
She also spoke about the condition and the bullying she experienced as a result.
Her story was shared across the world and she features on news channels in the UK, China, Brazil the U.S. and Vietnam.
Since speaking so openly about her condition, Joelle said she is now finally comfortable in her own skin.
She said: ‘I have accepted that alopecia is a big part of my life, but it doesn’t define me.’
Scroll down for video
The 15-year-old endured the cruel taunts of bullies, being labeled ‘cancer girl’, by youngsters who did not understand the hair loss disease
Â
The final flight of famous Spanish chef – DarÃo Barrio
Father teaches his kittens the best way to pack a punch
Dramatic aftermath of Tracy Morgan SUV Crash
Scare prank recreates terrifying moments from film ‘Oculus’
Kanzi the bonobo makes tools with stones and uses them
Take a tour of Bruce Campbell’s Boeing 727 home
Disturbing insight into life and customs within the Ku Klux…
Chilling dashcam and 911 audio of pitbull attack on girl
Beautiful time-lapse video of Bruce’s Boeing 727 home
Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley in The Imitation…
President Clinton, Michelle Obama honor Maya Angelou
Dramatic footage: Man storms courthouse with smoke grenades
-
‘And people wonder why she was so depressed’, says L’Wren…
-
‘He is not in good shape’: Devastated family of critically…
-
Pictured: Sleeping Walmart truck driver who slammed into…
-
Bergdahl is REFUSING to speak to his parents after…
-
I thought I’d seen it all with Philomena. And then I found…
-
At home with the KKK: Family of four open door to their life…
-
Oregon man who lives in a Boeing 727 that he converted into…
-
Woman overjoyed after thief who stole a purse containing…
-
‘I loved every minute… I’d do it again tomorrow!’ ‘Great…
-
Images of the devastating decline of Detroit’s neighborhoods…
-
Hero student who pepper-sprayed and tackled Seattle…
-
Wife chased her husband out of a restaurant and shot him…
Comments (37)
what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have been moderated in advance.
JUPITER,
PORT TALBOT,
6 hours ago
You Look beautiful. And when I look at your eyes in the images here I can see your honesty and integrity shining through. The world is waiting for a person like you. Go out and get it and do want you want to do to help lots of people find worth in their lives
Thelastword,
bedford, Isle Of Man,
6 hours ago
Had it for decades. I am a middle aged man and shave my head now. Must be tough for a woman.
jrjrjrjr,
basingstoke,
6 hours ago
Fab looking girl
Buster,
Exeter, United Kingdom,
7 hours ago
Beautiful Lady.
kaii,
london,
7 hours ago
She is very beautiful both ways.
Siru,
Turku, Finland,
7 hours ago
She looks beautiful without hair.
Amills,
Bracknell, United Kingdom,
7 hours ago
Very pretty young lady with or without hair , bonus is save on hair cuts , colouring to rid of grey hair and she can have any length and colour she likes
CJones,
NWales,
8 hours ago
Joelle is very beautiful with or without hair. She is also very courageous. I wish her every success.
Charlie01,
Chester,
8 hours ago
Pretty brave talented young lady, I hope all your dreams come true. All the money I spend on my hair and I wish I had an eighth of your beauty. How lovely that you can change your colour, style I am so jealous xx
melanie,
ME,
8 hours ago
Gorgeous girl, the whole package beautiful, brave and thinking of others. Anyone who taunts this lovely girl is jealous and will probably amount to nothing.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Find out now