A 10-month-old girl is facing a cancer diagnosis after a rare birthmark developed “painful, bleeding lesions,” leaving her family devastated.
Katelyn Clarke, 23, from Plymouth, England, had a normal and healthy pregnancy before welcoming her third child, daughter Macey-Mai, in May.
However, shortly after her birth, Katelyn discovered that her little girl had giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN), a rare skin condition characterized by unusually dark, noncancerous birthmarks, according to the National Institutes of Health.
GCMN can cause dry, irritated and itchy skin, sometimes accompanied by excessive hair growth. It can appear anywhere on the body and is associated with an increased risk of developing melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer.
For Macey-Mai, the largest birthmark covers her entire back, while more than 100 smaller marks are scattered across her stomach, scalp, legs and arms. Clarke told Southwest News Service that she was “completely shocked” when she first discovered the dark marks.
Macey-Mai also developed seven painful lesions on her largest birthmark. As they began bleeding and growing rapidly, doctors decided they needed to be removed.
In August 2025, she underwent a biopsy and surgery to remove the lesions, which were then sent for genetic testing.
Clarke spent months waiting for the results. In the meantime, Macey-Mai’s lesions were treated with antibiotics, and doctors advised her mother to monitor them closely for any changes in size, as these could indicate a possible cancerous development.
“Every single day I have got to take photos, to sit there and look at every single inch of her,” she explained. “Any changes, even the smallest changes, can warrant the worst.”
Unfortunately, in March 2026, Clarke received heartbreaking biopsy results: one of Macey-Mai’s lesions had tested positive for cancer.
“I have never cried like that before. My heart’s been broken since we received the news that one of the lumps was malignant,” she told the outlet. “It has been very hard to comprehend.”
“I knew that with this condition you would probably face malignancy at some point, but they said that’s when you are an adult,” she added. “They never say that it can happen when you are so young, so it’s devastating to know that it’s already the case.”
Clarke has since been sharing updates through GoFundMe, revealing that doctors are concerned about the possibility of the cancer spreading as Macey-Mai’s lesions continue to grow. Her daughter will likely need another operation and further treatment.
“It’s extremely hard to navigate being a parent of three but also being a parent of a baby with such a rare condition,” she told SWNS.
As Macey-Mai approaches her first birthday, Clarke admitted that the milestone brings mixed emotions because of her daughter’s ongoing health challenges. Despite everything, she wants to make the occasion as special as possible and give her little girl the “best birthday ever.”
“We will never know if it is going to be the last,” she said.
