Albinism: Coventry family embraces Guinness World Record

Naseem Akhtar (centre in red) and youngest brother Mohammed Rafi (right) say world record recognition has been a positive experience

A family with albinism said they sought recognition in the Guinness World Records to create "a positive" after years of bullying over the condition.

The six adult children of the Parvez-Akhtar family from Coventry were recognised as the most siblings with albinism last year.

Naseem Akhtar, the eldest, said "being Asian but not looking Asian" had made identity issues "massive" growing up.

She hopes their story will help other people overcome their "struggles".

Albinism affects the production of melanin and people with the condition may have skin that burns easily in the sun and eye problems, including poor sight.

Ms Akhtar, 42, said she was passionate about raising awareness and trying to "make life easier for other people with albinism".

Parents Aslam and Shameem, both 65, were born in Pakistan and also have the condition passed on to their children, aged between 42 and 27.

The family applied for the record on reuniting after the pandemic

Ms Akhtar remembered "just being different" from about age three or four and "going to nursery and then going to school and how people were treating me differently".

She said: "I was a different colour to my uncles and aunts and to my grandad and grandma.

"Confidence and self esteem" were affected by feeling like an outsider and "not fitting in any camp", she added.

"It was very difficult; identity was a massive issue - certainly for myself. Being Asian but not looking Asian, it was massive."

She said among aspects that made life more difficult were eye problems and wearing "bottle top" glasses kept on by "elastic bands around our heads".

'Bullying and discrimination'

Mohammed Rafi, 27, is the youngest sibling. He said they had a lot of support as children and their parents encouraged them to be independent, but he also remembered bullying and discrimination.

"Basically at school we used to have a support worker network that used to be there to help us with anything," he said.

"But the bullying it did go on at school but when I went to college it just totally stopped. I think maybe because more people understood about bullying and racial awareness and everything - it just gradually faded out throughout my time as a child."

Since getting the world record in May 2021, Mr Rafi said he had received congratulations from people in Coventry, where most of the family still lived, which was "really nice".

"We have turned it into a positive," he said. "It can be for educational purposes, it can help build our confidence."

His sister Ms Akhtar said over time she had come to like her albinism, realising it gave her a "unique outlook on life".

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [e-mail]