My Twin Sister Has Albinism

Nine-year-old She’riq, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was born with Albinism, but her twin brother Te’riq was born without the condition. She’riq told Barcroft TV: “People sometimes don't believe we are twins. We’re totally different. He's funnier than me and I’m just kind of calm. Everybody comes up to me and they're like ‘why are you lighter than your brother?’ So I tell them.” Dad, Terry Sr., said: “We didn't know one of the twins had Albinism until She’riq was born. Looking at the doctors’ facial expressions was just amazing. It was shocking to all of them.” One in 18,000 to 20,000 people in the United States are born with Albinism, which causes pale skin, sensitivity to the sun, and eyesight issues. This wasn’t the first experience of Albinism for parents Sherria and Terry Elliott Sr., who had welcomed a daughter with the same condition ten years before the twins. Now 20, older sister Sheterria has been a mentor and support for She’riq, having navigated the negativity that can come when living with a misunderstood condition. She said: “I think that I've helped my sister cope with having Albinism because I've gone through all the hard times so I was able to educate her, let her know that it's not a disease, you're okay, we're going to be fine.” Now nine, the twins are an inseparable team, with the calm and centred She’riq balancing out her more animated brother. Mum, Sherria, said: “The twins have a wonderful relationship, I love their relationship and it kind of makes me wish I had a twin growing up.” Recently the twins and Sheterria were chosen to be part of an uplifting photo series called the ‘Skin I’m In’ project, which was exhibited in Houston by photographer Ferrell Phelps.