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Melanie Wightman was diagnosed with ocular melanoma at 11

Despite her diagnosis, she found joy and self-expression through fashion

Today, she inspires thousands on TikTok by embracing every version of herself and spreading positivity

Melanie Wightman has always loved fashion — even as a kid, her days began with choosing a colorful outfit and ended with playing outside with friends before dinner and bedtime.

But one afternoon, when she was 11, that routine was interrupted when she came home and noticed a small bump on her right temple. She showed her mom, who was immediately puzzled.

"I remember she was very confused," Wightman, the middle child of two sisters, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "She was like, ‘Did you get hit by a ball? Were you playing soccer with your friends

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