Anna Venn

Anna has faced extraordinary challenges over the last five years. Diagnosed with aggressive cancer at the age of 24, she has undergone seventeen surgical procedures and endless different treatments. Despite this, Anna's facial cancer spread, necessitating the removal of her eye and a number of skin grafts to her face. Anna faces each day with significant facial scarring and an eye-patch to cover her empty orbit. Although her experience is that our image-conscious society struggles with visual difference, Anna minimises the negative responses to her appearance by refusing to be embittered or limited by them. She lives life to the full and positively demonstrates through her personal life, and in a voluntary role with an organisation that supports people with visual difference, that no-one should be limited or defined by their appearance. Carrying the Olympic torch would honour Anna's Olympian courage, humour and thoughtfulness and celebrate visual difference!