The parents of a beautiful baby boy who has birthmarks covering 80 percent of his body were given the option to leave him at the hospital if they didn’t want to keep him. Artyom Aristakesyan was born with nevus birthmarks, which are oval patches of raised, dark-colored skin, and he also required surgery for spina bifida.
Artyom’s birthmarks indicate that his body struggles to produce melanin and pose a potential risk of developing cancer later in life. Mariam Petrosyan, 26, and Taron, 28, from Yerevan, Armenia, were warned by doctors that they didn’t know how long Artyom would live due to the heightened risk of skin cancer.
However, the parents were shocked when doctors suggested leaving him behind at the hospital if they felt they couldn’t care for him at home. Mariam said, “We only discovered Artyom’s nevus birthmarks when he was born, and I was completely shocked.
The doctors had never seen nevus marks like Artyom’s before, and they soon realized he also had spina bifida. It was all a blur. Artyom underwent a ninety-minute surgery to correct his spine, and it took five days of recovery before we could finally see him again.”
Even the doctors had mentioned to Mariam and Taron that they didn’t have to take Artyom home after his birth. Mariam recalled, “I remember them sitting us down. Artyom hadn’t opened his eyes yet, and they told us he might never open them due to the nevus birthmarks in that area. They also said they didn’t know how long he would live, and if we wanted to, we could refuse to bring him home because taking care of him would be too hard. But we didn’t listen.”
Eventually, Mariam and Taron were able to see Artyom in the ward. “I was nervous. My husband called Artyom’s name, and we saw him stir. Then I called his name, and he opened his eyes,” Mariam said.
Artyom’s older brothers, Narek, three, and Artur, two, initially questioned why Artyom “had chocolate dabbed on his face.” However, after learning about their brother’s condition, they have become protective of him.
Mariam mentioned that Artyom occasionally receives curious stares, but some people consider him “a gift from God.” She hopes to show that individuals like Artyom are unique and beautiful. “Birthmarks shouldn’t be hidden in shame. We should accept that beauty comes in different shapes and forms and should never change that.”
