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///@historic: Meet Mary Ann Bevan. Her photo circulated on the internet, often captioned as "The Ugliest Woman in the World." However, there's more to her story than her appearance. I delved into her history and was astonished to find that she didn't always look like this. The second photo below is a picture of her before Acromegaly took its toll, shortly after her marriage at age 32.Acromegaly is a rare hormonal disorder caused by excess growth hormone from the pituitary gland after the growth plates have closed. It typically enlarges the hands and feet, but can also affect the jaw, nose, and forehead. It affects only 3 out of 50,000 people.Mary was born in 1874 to a middle-class family and was their only daughter among seven brothers. She pursued a career in medicine, becoming a nurse in 1894. Nine years later, she married Thomas Bevan and had four children. Their family was happy until Mary was struck by this unknown disease at the time. Her husband stood by her, but sadly passed away from a stroke in 1914. Mary's physical appearance made it impossible for her to find employment. In desperation, she entered an "Ugliest Woman" competition and won. She endured humiliation and ridicule to provide for her family.In 1920, Mary was invited to join the Dreamland Circus in Coney Island, where she worked until her passing in 1933. She also made guest appearances for Ringling Bros. and earned enough to support her four children.Let's remember Mary Ann Bevan as an incredible mother who did whatever it took to ensure her family's survival.