Woman Visually Impaired Due to Facial Tumors Celebrates Huge Milestone in Journey Toward Independence (Exclusive)

A woman whose vision is impacted by numerous tumors is celebrating a huge accomplishment after walking to the store on her own.

In PEOPLE’s exclusive clip from the upcoming episode of TLC’s Most Extreme Humans, viewers are introduced to Lizzy Bull, who lives with facial disfigurement from a severe case of the rare genetic condition neurofibromatosis. 

Neurofibromatosis is a rare genetic condition that leaves the skin covered in thousands of thick, painful tumors. It affects about 100,000 people throughout the United States, and only a few million in the world, Dr. Kaleb Yohay, the director of NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center, previously told PEOPLE. Patients can get the disorder from their parents or a random genetic mutation.

Due to the condition, Lizzy has lost her sight, but she’s determined to live her life as independently as possible. In the clip, she attempts to walk to the grocery store by herself for the first time.

“If I want to live on my own one day, I need to prove to myself that I have the confidence,” she says. “So today I’m going to walk to the shops on my own… I’m fine.”

In a confessional, Lizzy’s mother shares her concerns about her abilities.

“Imagine being blindfolded and trying to find your way to the shops,” she says. “You know when you hear all these noises because your hearing’s enhanced? It must be scary.”

She then gets emotional and starts to cry thinking about her daughter’s future. 

“Lizzy’s got it switched on up there, she’s bright as a button. She’s got bat ears, you know, she’s all clued up,” she says before admitting that she still worries about her. “I worry that I’m not going to be here forever. What would happen tomorrow if I died?”

Lizzy uses her walking stick to guide herself through her neighborhood. “I think I’ve accidentally gone into someone’s driveway,” she says with a laugh.

Eventually, she makes it to the store and a staff member helps her find and buy her items. 

“I feel amazing!” Lizzy says. “My mom isn’t gonna believe it.” 

According to the show’s synopsis, Most Extreme Humans follows people around the globe living with “the world’s rarest and most remarkable physical conditions and examines what everyday life looks like when the world is not built with your body in mind.”

Other episodes feature Lalit, a man living with werewolf syndrome, Herson, a man living with backward knees, Rumeysa, the world’s tallest woman, and more. 

The new episode of Most Extreme Humans airs Wednesday, July 8 at 9 pm ET/PT on TLC.