A six-year-old from Co. Antrim has undergone more than 30 different procedures after being born with a rare disorder. Jessica Philpott from Ballymena was diagnosed with Apert syndrome, a rare disease which affects just fifteen people in every million. Sufferers of the syndrome can have a number of physical problems and surgeons have been operating on Jessica over the last six years in order to correct her skull and also to give her hands and feet. “To me this wasn’t something terrible, it was a blessing and I feel privileged to be given a child like Jessica,” said her mother Julie to The Mirror. Jessica pictured with her parents Julie and Lawrie. Jessica has become one of the most operated on patients in the UK. She flies with her family to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London on a regular basis for the procedures. Major surgery lies ahead for Jessica, who faces procedures to have her face rebuilt and will involve a number of different operations over the course of four to seven years. “None of it seems to faze Jessica, she smiles through it all and is an inspiration, her strength, courage and determination are what get us through the hard days.” Pictures via The Mirror.