Behind the Smile

Anja Christoffersen learned early on that you can never judge a book by its cover. Born with a congenital disability that deformed her digestive, skeletal, reproductive, circulatory, urinary and respiratory systems; she had her first surgery at five hours old. Despite a grim diagnosis, from the outside you would be unable to tell she was any different. You would never have known that at birth, the medical fraternity warned that she would never live a normal life. Once Anja grew to an age where she could understand her medical differences, she made the decision that she did not want an ordinary life anyway - she wanted an extraordinary one. As soon as Anja realised happiness is a choice, she made the decision she would be happy despite her circumstances. From surgical theatres to chasing her dreams led her to a career as an international fashion model. Join Anja as she walks the catwalks of Australia and Europe with her hidden medical condition, overcomes challenges and discovers how to keep smiling no matter what.