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As you may know, I have had Vitiligo for close to 20 years. It has influenced my life dramatically in that my skin has changed completely white from being dark, therefore raising identity and race issues as well as the medical issue of the condition itself.

Last year, I travelled to New York to share my story on the Today Show and the Inside Edition. Following that experience, I felt that there was more that I could do to help others suffering with skin disorders. I started blogging about my experiences and how Vitiligo affected my life and created a Facebook group by the same blog name - Skinned Alive. The success of this group and the overwhelming response to my blog posts has convinced me that perhaps there is more that I can do for skin. This, coupled with the experience of mentoring a few young teens who are facing difficulties with having Vitiligo at such a defining age, is more than enough inspiration.

Since I cannot be in London to participate in the British Skin Foundation's annual Walk For Skin as I did last year, I am going to walk around the Savannah here in Trinidad to coincide with the closing day of the BSF walk - Sunday 27th June. I am so happy that a considerable amount of my dearest friends have shown interest in walking with me. We will be wearing black or white and walking to raise awareness for all skin diseases and issues, as well as celebrating the beauty of our own skin and the many skin tones of Trinidad & Tobago!

Last year I managed to raise over £800 for the BSF and the Vitiligo Society thanks to my friends and family worldwide, the money going towards funds for research, treatment and support for sufferers. This year I am raising the bar because I know that you can help me reach my new target. Every time we get close to the target, I will raise the bar a little more.

The bigger this gets, the more attention it will get, the more awareness we can raise... and hopefully be on the path to resurrecting a number of skin organizations and creating support groups right here in Trinidad as result.

This will be the first ever walk dedicated to skin in Trinidad, so it's already history in the making! Thank you for being a part of it and for supporting me in this!

Be Blessed Always

Darcel de Vlugt