Laotian mother appeals for hearing aids for blue-eyed twins with rare condition

A Laotian mother in the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom is seeking public support for hearing aids for her twin daughters, who are hearing and speech impaired and have blue eyes due to Waardenburg syndrome.

The two girls with bright blue eyes went viral on social media after a Facebook user, Wachi Wachi, shared their pictures on Monday, November 4. The caption stated, “Gift and Gam, the twins with blue eyes.” One of the girls has two blue eyes while the other has only one blue eye.

The pictures garnered over 8,600 reactions, 680 comments, and 4,400 shares. Many social media users found their bright blue eyes stunning, as most Thai and Asian people typically have dark eye colours. Others expressed concern about the health conditions that led to their eye colour.

Some users compared the girls to Hinata Hyuga, a character from the Japanese anime Naruto, who also has bright blue eyes similar to theirs.

ThaiRath later clarified that the two are half Thai, half Laotian, and live in Nakhon Phanom. The girl with one blue eye is called Gift while the girl with two blue eyes is called Gam. They are studying at a school for the deaf in the Isaan province of Mukdahan, as they are hearing and speech impaired due to Waardenburg syndrome.

Waardenburg syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that primarily affects pigmentation (colour) in areas such as the hair, skin, and eyes, as well as hearing ability. Because the syndrome is genetic, their mother, 42 year old Janwiporn, also has blue eyes.

After the two girls went viral on Thai social media, Janwiporn stepped forward to seek support for them. She said she was a single mother after divorcing their father, who resides in the central province of Kanchanaburi.

Now, Janwiporn and her daughters live in Nakhon Phanom with her new husband and her sister. Janwiporn emphasised that she is not seeking money but wants her daughters to receive hearing aids, which she cannot afford herself.

Janwiporn stated that the girls can hear her if she shouts, so she hopes the hearing aids will help improve their quality of life. She wishes for them to be able to speak and listen like others.

Janwiporn urged anyone interested in helping with hearing aids or other treatments to contact her via her mobile phone at 065-598-1182.