{"id":6270,"date":"2025-11-26T15:07:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T14:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/bibliotheek\/this-is-just-who-we-are\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T17:13:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T15:13:00","slug":"this-is-just-who-we-are","status":"publish","type":"library_pt","link":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/library\/anophthalmia-and-microphthalmia\/this-is-just-who-we-are\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;This is just who we are&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-11-21T16:11:05\">21 November 2025<\/time><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Names: Guo and Xuan Liebrechts<br \/>City: Apeldoorn<br \/>Condition: Microphthalmia and Anophthalmia<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Natalie and Peter began the adoption process, they deliberately chose China. Not only because the country appealed to them, but also because they were open to adopting a child with a medical condition. In China, so-called \u201cspecial needs\u201d children are more often eligible for adoption, and they wanted to make a difference in that area. \u201cTogether, we very deliberately drew up a list of conditions we were open to,\u201d Peter explains. \u201cFirst, we each considered it separately, then together. And then you naturally start asking questions like: Can we handle this? Do we want this? What\u2019s right for our family?\u201d Ultimately, they chose a disability that\u2019s visible\u2014such as an eye condition. Natalie: \u201cWe thought: we can teach our children to live with that.\u201d      <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both boys came to the Netherlands when they were 2 years old\u2014and, not entirely by coincidence, with the same type of condition. \u201cThat was actually quite convenient,\u201d Natalie laughs. \u201cWe\u2019d all go to the checkups at the hospital together.\u201d Sometimes things went a little too smoothly: \u201cWe once accidentally put the wrong eye prosthesis in the wrong child,\u201d Peter recalls with a grin. Xuan no longer wears a prosthesis\u2014his eye socket doesn\u2019t tolerate the material well\u2014and Guo is also choosing more and more often to leave his out. \u201cWe let them decide for themselves. They have to feel comfortable with it.\u201d Their parents especially notice how valuable it is that the boys see themselves reflected in each other. \u201cThey don\u2019t have to explain anything. They just understand each other.\u201d       <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Allergy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Xuan\u2019s treatment began intensively: Because he also has a cleft lip and palate, he was referred to the craniofacial team in Rotterdam. There, they began stretching his eye socket using small, gradually increasing beads. \u201cIt started with a very small bead that was placed in the eye socket,\u201d Natalie explains. \u201cThen they sealed his eyelid shut with skin glue so the bead could apply pressure and draw in fluid. I really didn\u2019t like that.\u201d Ultimately, Xuan turned out to be allergic to that adhesive, and other methods\u2014such as an implant behind the mucous membrane\u2014didn\u2019t work as hoped either. Xuan hasn\u2019t worn a prosthesis for about three years now, but the years of effort have resulted in better facial symmetry than he had at the beginning.     <\/p>\n<p>The fact that Xuan and Guo have Asian eyes certainly played a role in their ability to wear an eye prosthesis. Peter explains that, in Asian people in particular, the lower eyelid can curl inward more easily, causing the eyelashes to press against the eye or the prosthesis and cause irritation. Natalie adds: \u201cIn Xuan\u2019s case, there was little space in the eye socket, and eventually the mucous membrane could no longer tolerate the prosthesis.\u201d That made it complicated: as a parent, when do you decide to stop a treatment, and to what extent do you let your child have a say in the matter? \u201cIt\u2019s his body, but he also needs us for decisions like that,\u201d says Natalie. After much discussion, they ultimately decided together that he would no longer wear the prosthesis. That was the best choice at the time.      <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-1140x760.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-535x357.jpg 535w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-270x180.jpg 270w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-124x83.jpg 124w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-55x37.jpg 55w, https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/familie-liebregts-817x545.jpg 817w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Natalie and Peter haven\u2019t specifically sought psychological help, but they are aware of how important it is to process their experiences and talk about them. \u201cIn the beginning, we did attend the Family Days organized by OOG in OOG,\u201d says Natalie. \u201cYou find a lot of comfort in that, especially when you don\u2019t know much yet.\u201d Because their children were adopted with a known special need, the situation didn\u2019t come as a shock\u2014unlike for parents who are suddenly confronted with a condition after birth. \u201cWe knew what we were getting into, even though there\u2019s always some uncertainty,\u201d says Peter. They didn\u2019t feel they needed additional professional help: there\u2019s a lot of open communication within the family, there\u2019s room for sadness, and the boys are learning to accept their eye condition at their own pace. \u201cAt one point, Xuan just said, \u2018This is who I am; I\u2019ve embraced it,\u2019\u201d says Natalie proudly.      <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fighting a Dragon<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although Xuan and Guo stand out because of their appearance\u2014as Asian boys with a visible eye condition and Dutch parents\u2014they have fortunately experienced very little actual bullying. They\u2019ve actually never been bullied at school, something their parents attribute to their openness and self-confidence. \u201cThey\u2019ve given presentations about it and just explained what\u2019s going on,\u201d says Natalie. \u201cThat really helps.\u201d At camp or in new groups, they sometimes get curious stares or questions, especially from children\u2014but they usually don\u2019t mind. In fact, they\u2019ve learned to take it in stride. Xuan: \u201cBack when someone used to ask what was wrong with my eye, I\u2019d just say, \u2018I fought a dragon.\u2019\u201d They find it more annoying when people stare without saying anything. \u201cJust say it\u2014at least then I\u2019ll know what you\u2019re thinking,\u201d Xuan says matter-of-factly.          <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The idea to participate in this interview didn\u2019t come solely from the parents; it was also discussed with the boys. \u201cWe actually thought it was a good idea right away,\u201d says the oldest son. \u201cBecause you usually only hear the difficult stories. But there are also people who manage to live with it pretty well\u2014you just rarely hear about them. I hope that when others read our story, they\u2019ll think: Hey, so it can be like this, too. Maybe that will give them a little hope.\u201d  <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Give it a try<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sports play an important role in Xuan and Guo\u2019s lives. Despite their visual impairments, they are both active and try their hand at all kinds of activities\u2014from track and field and field hockey to gymnastics. \u201cYour brain learns to cope with it,\u201d Guo says matter-of-factly. They even try fast-paced ball sports like table tennis at the campground; it helps to stand close to the table or use tricks to better judge distances. Xuan has been an avid gymnast since he was seven and competes in all events without any problems. Guo does track and field. The most important thing: they don\u2019t let anything hold them back. Their parents are proud of how they come up with solutions on their own, push their limits, and, above all, enjoy life.       <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re sharing the remarkable story of Guo and Xuan, two brothers who grew up with only one eye. Guo (12) has microphthalmia (he was born with a small eye) and wears an ocular prosthesis. His older brother, Xuan (15), has anophthalmia (born without an eye) and now lives without a prosthesis. Both were adopted from China through the special needs adoption process. Their parents, Natalie (47) and Peter (48), share how their sons cope with their disabilities with confidence, humor, and strength. A story about resilience, family, and pride\u2014and about how being different can also be perfectly normal.     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6273,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_daextauttol_enable_tooltips":""},"library_cat":[111,117,113],"class_list":["post-6270","library_pt","type-library_pt","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","library_cat-anophthalmia-and-microphthalmia","library_cat-children-and-youth","library_cat-personal-stories"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library_pt\/6270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library_pt"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/library_pt"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"library_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ver-ooginoog.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library_cat?post=6270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}