Fox Island teen raising awareness of vitiligo, a rare autoimmune disease

Because of Cora Smith's advocacy, the state officially declared June 25 as Vitiligo Day to raise awareness about the disease that causes irregular spots or patches on the skin.

By: Conor Wilson

Outlets: Gig Harbor Now

Published: July 8, 2026

Words: 370

Last Updated: 2 days, 23 hours ago

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Cora Smith was working on her high school capstone project, a report on the autoimmune disease vitiligo, when she learned about the World Vitiligo Day Conference in Florida.

Vitiligo causes parts of the skin to lose color or pigment, resulting in irregular spots or patches. An estimated 1% of the world’s population live with the disease, which occurs when cells that produce melanin stop functioning.

The disease is not life-threatening or contagious, but it has …

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