Some of the contestants in the Miss Universe contest have already fought battles to get this far including racial and religious barriers and a personal battle with breast cancer. They are just a few of the 86 stories behind the whow recently competed for the crown.
Veneta Krasteva was diagnosed at the age of 18, just two years ago, with breast cancer. Because she practices regular checkups and self-examinations, Miss Bulgaria noticed when her breast began to ache and she discovered a lump. Two years of aggressive cancer treatment forced her to postpone college, At 21, she is now cancer-free and putting her life back together. She won the Miss Universe Bulgaria 2013 title in September and plans to use her celebrity to raise breast cancer awareness.
Titi Yitayish Ayanaw, was a twelve year old orphan when she moved from her ho0me in Ethiopia to Israel to live with her aunt. She now lives there with her grandmother. At 5’ 11” she is the first black Miss Israel and hopes she can be a role model for other young girls.
Moe Set Wine is making history as the first representative from war-torn Myanmar in 53 years. The 25-year-old hopes to educate the world about her country but says she feels a bit unprepared for the magnitude of a competition like Miss Universe. She was also surprised to find out how few of her contemporaries knew anything about her country and she hopes to change that.
These women serve as an inspiration to the world and embody more than just the outer beauty that the pageant represents to many.