Mother appeals for confidence boosting cards for son

The mother of a five-year-old boy with a rare neurological condition has appealed for people to help her boost his confidence – after he told her he hates his face and wants a new one.

Warren Armstrong, from Cadishead in Greater Manchester, has Moebius syndrome, which has left him unable to move the left side of his face due to missing nerves. 

He also has only partial vision, and has syndactyly, meaning his fingers and thumbs are fused together.

After Warren made his heartbreaking statement, his mother Jannine Atkinson, 30, a payment manager, posted an appeal on Facebook asking for people to send cards to the little boy to show him how loved he is – and prove it’s what’s on the inside that counts.  

‘It is completely heartbreaking to know that this is how he feels. He is only five yet he hates the way he looks,’ said Jannine.

‘He only started saying it to me a few months ago. It seemed to come out of nowhere,’ added Jannine, who is also mother to Leona, nine, and seven-year-old Leyton. 

‘No one at school has ever mentioned how he looks and no one we have met in the past has ever said anything,’ she continued.

‘I just don’t know what to do to help him. I tell him all the time that he is beautiful and that it is what is on the inside that counts, but he still hates his face.’

Jannine Atkinson, 30, a payment manager, was heartbroken when her son confessed he ‘hated his face’ and launched an appeal asking people on Facebook to send him confidence cards

Warren told his distraught mother that he hates his face and wants a new one

‘As a mum it really breaks my heart. No one should hate how they look at only five years old.

‘He’s an incredible little boy, he has a great personality and will talk to anyone so I hate seeing him upset.’

Jannine decided to launch the public appeal on Facebook, urging people to start sending her little boy cards in order to boost his confidence.

Posting a picture of Warren – which has since been shared 40 times, Jannine described his condition, before adding: ‘He is starting to hate his self at such a young age, maybe people could send him a card to say how amazing he is and bring a smile to his face’.

Jannine said: ‘It was one of my close friends that came up with the idea and I thought it sounded brilliant.’

‘As a mum it really breaks my heart. No one should hate how they look at only five years old,’ she said of Warren (pictured with siblings Leona Armstrong, 9, and Leyton Armstrong, 7)

Jannine then decided to launch the public appeal on Facebook, requesting for people to start sending her little boy cards in order to boost his confidence

Jannine is hoping receiving messages of support will help Warren to see how wonderful he is.  

‘If we could just get a few people to show Warren that he is loved and that people love him for who he is I would be happy,’ she said. 

‘We have had a really good response so far; the cards are even coming from people we don’t know.

‘It’s been amazing and every single one has made Warren smile. I can’t thank everyone enough.

‘It’s been amazing and every single one has made Warren smile. I can’t thank everyone enough’, Warren’s mother said of the campaign

‘We have had a really good response so far; the cards are even coming from people we don’t know’, she added

‘I just hope it gives him a confidence boost and shows him that he is amazing the way he is and doesn’t need a new face.

‘As cheesy as it sounds it is what’s on the inside that counts, not what is on the outside.’

Warren’s mum Jannine and dad Keith Armstrong, 36, were told at Jannine’s 20 week scan that the baby only had two thumbs, and no fingers.

Jannine said that as Warren has a lack of movement on the left of his face, loss of vision and syndactyly of his hands, he has been described by medical professionals as a one in a million case. 

[L-R] Leyton Armstrong, 7, Keith Armstrong, 36, Warren Armstrong, 5 Jannine Atkinson, 30 and Leona Armstrong, 9.

Jannine revealed doctors confirmed his condition when he was four months old, saying: ‘At four months a consultant confirmed it was Moebius. It is very rare, especially as he has partial vision and the syndactyly of the hands’ (seen with Leona and Leyton)

Jannine said: ‘At his 20 week scan we were told that he could have Down’s syndrome because of the way he was pouting.

‘They also told us that he only had two thumbs and no fingers. We had an idea that when he was born there would be some medical issues for us to face.

‘At four months a consultant confirmed it was Moebius. It is very rare, especially as he has partial vision and the syndactyly of the hands.

‘Warren is actually described as one in a million – which suits him. The partial vision is caused by the lack of nerves and muscles in his face.

Warren was born with Moebius syndrome and mum Jannine and dad Keith Armstrong, 36 (seen) were told at the 20 week scan that Warren only had 2 thumbs and no fingers

‘I just hope it gives him a confidence boost and shows him that he is amazing the way he is and doesn’t need a new face,’ said of the cards

‘Not many medical professionals know what Moebius is,’ Jannine said.

‘We have to take him to A&E a lot as he often bumps into things, but the nurses aren’t fully aware of the syndrome.

‘He doesn’t really let it bother him. He still does what every normal kid does. The only thing that is bothering him is his face.

‘He also asks me and Keith when his hands are going to grow big like ours. Hopefully these cards will make him realise how amazing he is’, she concluded.

‘He doesn’t really let it [his hands] bother him. He still does what every normal kid does. The only thing that is bothering him is his face,’ Jannine said of Warren

‘Warren is actually described as one in a million which suits him,’ Janine added happily