This is singer, songwriter, and model, Taylor Muhl:
For years, Muhl has battled autoimmune issues without any explanation as to why she was suffering. Then, about eight years ago, she was finally diagnosed with Chimerism, a rare disorder in which a person has two sets of DNA.
But how did she end up with two sets of DNA? According to People, Muhl fused together with her twin sibling while in the womb, resulting in her having two different blood streams and immune systems within her body. She also ended up with this distinct birthmark on her stomach that her doctor said is essentially her twin:
"My first reaction was shock," Muhl told People. "Then my second reaction was sadness because I was like, 'Oh my gosh! I could’ve gone through life with a twin, with a sibling that hopefully I could’ve been close to.' There was some sadness."
But ultimately, the Los Angeles native was just happy to finally have a diagnosis:
"I actually felt relief. I felt freedom because for the first time in my life I knew why my stomach looks the way it does. This is why I’ve had so many health challenges," said the model. "I felt like for the first time I could really breathe. Prior to that, every doctor said my stomach must have just been a birthmark … Finally, this is making some sense."
Although Muhl initially received her diagnosis eight years ago, she just started publicly talking about her Chimerism about a year ago, starting with an Instagram post that read:
"I Am My Own Twin" I have a genetic condition called, Chimersim. I'm a fraternal twin who fused together with my sibling in the womb. I carry my twins genetic make up within my own body, which is the second color skin pigmentation on my torso. There's only 100 cases documented in the world at this time.
She told People that speaking openly about her diagnosis is "freeing" and that she now "feels great."
"What was so hard for me was pretending that I wasn’t sick and it’s something that I did for the last seven-plus years," said Taylor Muhl. "It really does start wearing on you. Now I don’t have to worry about any of it. It’s all out there."