Model Who Lost Leg to Bone Cancer Is Accused of Faking Her Disability 'For Attention'

One little girl lost her leg because of rare bone cancer, but the disability didn't hold her back in life. She became a successful model. However, some people have accused her of lying about her amputation.

Model and fashion stylist Cherie Louise had a tough childhood after losing her leg to cancer at only six years old. The now-twenty-nine-year-old had to learn how to handle criticism and grow a thick skin.

Louise, a citizen of New Plymouth, New Zealand, didn't always feel confident in her body. When she was a teen, she was often stared at and faced extreme bullying.

SHOCKED BY PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

Over the years, she realized people would always have something to say, so she chose to embrace her disability instead of hiding away. The model knew how to handle online trolls, but once the media got involved, she struggled.

Louise read comments under the media articles and was shocked to see that people said she deserved her disability. There were countless cruel opinions, and some even said she was faking her amputation.

CLAIMS THAT SHE FAKED IT

The model who frequently posts images of herself to raise awareness for disabled bodies expressed: "People claim that I Photoshop my leg out of my photos for attention."

While it wasn't always easy living with one leg, her amputation is what saved her life. The procedure, known as an external hemipelvectomy, came with high risks. Thankfully, her operation was a success.

SHE FINDS IT ANNOYING

After everything she has been through, Louise still fights a battle daily as people feel the need to break her down. She said she doesn't find it funny when people suggest her leg is not amputated.

Louise explained: "For me, it's quite annoying, given everything I've gone through to survive and get to a point I am now where I'm confident in who I am and what I look like, all for people to put it down to just being fake and photoshopped."

CONCERNS ABOUT HER FUTURE

Louise also had concerns about her future when she was growing up. She didn't think she would be able to find a job because there were very few amputees for her to look up to.

She said: "I didn't believe I would get a job, fall in love, have a family, or any of those things because I'd never known an amputee who had." She wants to show other disabled people that all those things are possible.

EMBRACING HER DISABILITY

Another model was the reason Louise became more confident to post online. After she discovered Cacsmy/Mama Cax on Instagram, she saw her bravery, and it gave her the confidence to pursue modeling and become more vocal online.

She has come a long way from "wishing [she] would wake up one day and have two legs again" to embracing who she is. Now, having worked for world-renowned brands like Bluebella and Modibodi, her story is proof that people with disabilities are not limited.