2-year-old British boy with rare genetic condition wins modeling competition

(marko poplasen)

A British toddler suffering from a rare genetic condition has beaten 200 other entries in a modeling competition.

Two-year-old Harrison Evans, of Newbridge, Wales, was diagnosed with Williams syndrome a week after his first birthday, South Wales Argus reported. Williams syndrome causes hernias, severe jaundice, pulmonary stenosis and heart issues, among other health problems.

“He is a slow developer through the syndrome and can’t communicate as he can’t talk, so he gets really frustrated,” his mother, Sarah Bennett-Evans, 33, told the news website.

Harrison’s win in the modeling competition means he’s the new face of Amplified Studios' children's portfolio. The company is a newborn, baby and child boutique portrait studio based in the U.K.

Bennett-Evans told South Wales Argus she thought her son’s victory was “amazing” and hoped it would raise awareness of Williams syndrome. According to the National Institutes of Health, the condition affects an estimated one in 7,500 to 10,000 people.