At 18 Lauren Huxley was given just a five per cent chance of living after she was brutally attacked and set alight inside her own home. Her family were preparing to say their goodbyes.
However 11 years – and countless surgeries and procedures – later and the 29-year-old has made a full recovery and is living a happy and healthy life and looking forward to celebrating her 30th birthday on Christmas Eve.
Celebrating the milestone over the weekend at a party surrounded by family and friends, Lauren says she is happier than ever.
“Mostly, I just want to live that normal life I was told I would never have,” she told Fairfax.
“I’ve always been very determined… I was able to prove them all wrong,” she added.
As she prepares to head into a new decade with health and happiness, a full time job which she loves and an active social life, Lauren now gets to dream about things like where she’ll travel to next and “finding love and starting a family in the future”.
Lauren, who has become an advocate for violence against women, recently spoke at an event to help raise awareness and remind women that they are the strong ones.
“Never be ashamed of your scars, as it simply means that you were, and are, stronger than the person that tried to hurt you,” Lauren told the audience.
