A four-year-old who was born with a rare condition causing her skin to shed every four hours has landed a modelling contract.
Angie, 43, and Kevin, 42, who live in Washington, feared that Harper Foy would never lead a normal life when she was diagnosed with Harlequin Ichthyosis hours after she was born.
The rare and severe genetic disorder, covered her in thick skin that restricts breathing and blood flow.
The couple lovingly bathed their daughter four times a day in a bid to help her sore skin, which sheds throughout the day, while fearing for her future because other kids refused to touch her as she grew up.
However, mother-of-three Angie who works as an estate agent, has now revealed that a model agency has signed Harper to their books.
Angie said: ‘She’s come a long way since she was born, she’s a miracle.
Angie, 43, and Kevin, 42, from Washington, revealed their daughter Harper Foy (pictured) who was diagnosed with Harlequin Ichthyosis, has landed a modelling contract
Harper’s (pictured) rare and severe genetic disorder, causes her to regularly shed skin while also restricting her breathing and blood flow
Angie hopes Harper’s modelling contract will raise awareness of her condition. Pictured: Mother-of-three Angie with Harper and Jaxon
‘She signed a modelling contract which I hope will increase awareness of the condition.
‘The more people that know about the condition, the less people will stare or think she’s scary.
‘A lot of kids don’t want to touch her because they think she’s contagious so it’s important to raise awareness.
‘Her personality is unmatched, she loves the camera and she has so much self confidence, which she really needs going into the world.’
After Harper was born, she was at risk of losing her limbs as the extra skin restricted the blood flow but emergency surgery saved her arms and legs.
Angie said: ‘When she was born, she was encased in a thick, hard, white casing.
‘I had no idea she had the condition because I had a normal pregnancy, everything went well and I felt fine.
Angie who had a normal pregnancy, said her first two children were unaffected and it wasn’t until she was having a caesarean that doctor’s discovered that something was wrong. Pictured: Angie and Harper after birth
Doctors documented Harper’s (pictured) journey because they had never seen anything like it and wanted to be prepared if another baby is born with the same condition
‘She was my third child and the first two were unaffected. I had a normal pregnancy, I felt fine, everything went well.
‘I’ll never forget, when I was having my Cesarean, the doctor told my husband to get out his camera and that’s when it all changed.
‘I knew something was wrong with her but it was all a bit of a blur.
‘Doctors had never seen anything like it so they documented her journey in case another baby was born with the same thing.
‘They just took a photo of her and send it to a specialist who diagnosed her.
‘It was such a weird time, we were so scared.
Angie recalls bathing Harper all day, every day when she was born. Pictured: Angie and Kevin with Harper
Angie revealed Harper’s skin care routine is time consuming because she makes new skin every couple of hours. Pictured: Angie with Harper as a baby
Angie said that her daughter, four, is brimming with confidence and loves being in front of the the camera
‘It was the unknown every day.
‘We just had to bathe her all day every day and then about three weeks later, the skin came off.’
Four years later and Angie and project manager Kevin spend four hours a day bathing Harper and lathering her in soothing balm to make her comfortable.
Angie said: ‘Her skin care routine is time consuming because she makes new skin every couple of hours.
‘She’s always shedding her skin and it’s itchy, dry and uncomfortable.
Angie revealed that most children with Harper’s condition lose their limbs because the skin is so tight. Pictured: Kevin and Angie with Harper as a baby
Angie said Harper (pictured, as a baby) lost the tips of her fingers on her left hand and it would’ve been devastating if she had lost her feet
‘Most with the condition lose their feet and hands as the skin is so tight, it restricts the blood flow, but doctors made incisions in her wrists and ankles so that wouldn’t happen.
‘She did lose the tips of her fingers on her left hand.
‘If she’d have lost her limbs that would have been a different ball game.
‘She would have had this severe skin condition and be in a wheelchair so that would have been even more devastating.’
Angie hopes that Harper’s modelling career will help raise awareness of the condition, which affects one in 500,000 births.
She said: ‘Different disabilities are being shown now in modelling.
Angie said Harper (pictured) enjoys singing, dancing and photoshoots, the modelling contract has come at the perfect time
‘There are deaf, blind and down syndrome models showing kids who are different which is amazing.
‘Harper needs to know it’s just skin.
‘She’s so fun and spunky and just a hoot. She loves to sing and dance and she’s so special.
‘She loves photo shoots and if you put some music on, she does her thing.
‘The modelling contract was perfect timing because she’s at the right age where she’s ready for it.’
Angie said Harper needs to know that it’s just skin, describing her as ‘fun and spunky and just a hoot’. Pictured: Harper and Jaxon
Angie said that the opportunity to model came along at the right time for Harper, who loves singing and dancing and posting for the camera