At 15, Veronica Yoko Plebani nearly died from fulminant meningitis. She spent nearly a month and a half in intensive care and then several more months in the hospital, facing the consequences of an illness that changed her life forever.

The injuries were so severe that doctors had to amputate some of the finger phalanges on her hands and parts of her toes. Her body was left covered in deep scars, especially on her arms and legs.

When she woke up, Veronica had to learn to live with a body different from the one she knew. It wasn’t an easy process, but over time she decided to stop seeing her scars as something she had to hide. She made them part of who she was.

Sport also became a way to reclaim her life. Veronica went on to compete in snowboarding and triathlon and represented Italy at the Paralympic Games.

Today, her scars are not something she wants to erase. They are part of the story of a young woman who survived, got back on her feet, and found a new way to move forward.

“My scars are my body, and my body is me.”