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  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_002.jpg
  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_001.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 21-year-old woman delivered a baby with two heads and three hands, sending doctors of the state-run facility into a tizzy in central India. Babita Ahirwar, a resident of Basauda village in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, delivered the baby around 7:30 am on November 23 through C-section. Babita was married to Jaswant Ahirwar around one and a half years ago. The couple which was eagerly waiting to welcome their first baby was devastated after seeing the infant born with a deformity. "It was a mixed feeling when the nurses handed over the baby to me. Initially, I thought it was a twin, but when the nurses removed the towel, I was shocked to see our firstborn with two heads and three hands. All we wanted was a normal and healthy baby, but the almighty wanted to punish us this way. I don't know why," said new mom Babita told Newslions. Dr Surendra Sonkar of Vidisha Sadar hospital said: "On Saturday morning around 7:30 am, we facilitated the delivery of a baby through C-section. The baby had two heads and three hands. The third hand had two palms attached to it. "There is only one heart visible in the newborn. This is a very rare condition and this is the first time. I have come across such a case in my career," he said. "We had initially kept the baby in the ICU, but we thought it was better to refer them to a better-equipped facility in Bhopal," he added. At present, the baby is undergoing treatment at Bhopal's Hamidi Medical College and Hospital. 23 Nov 2019 Pictured: Baby born with two heads and three hands in central India. Photo credit: Newslions Media / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342
    MEGA555409_007.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_005.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_001.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_006.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_005.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_008.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_002.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_004.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_007.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: A 10-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin disorder is gradually turning into a stone. Scutes shaped as barks -- caused due to mutation of genes -- have spread all over her body. Rajeshwari, hailing from a tribal area in Dantewada district of north Indian state of Chhattisgarh suffers from a case of ichthyosis that causes reddening, scaling and severe blistering of the skin. The incurable disease affects the process of skin regeneration in the human body, making it hard and flaky. Visuals show a heart-wrenching sight of Rajeshwari sitting under a thatched hut with blisters almost covering her whole body. Though the disease doesn't pose any risk to her life, it has made a life 'a living hell'. The disease hinders her daily life, making even simple activities such as walking and sitting very painful. According to reports, the rare genetic condition affects very few people and till now only two dozen cases have been reported in the world. The rarity of the case makes research difficult and the medicine to control the incurable disease has severe side effects. For people residing in the Naxal infested area, availing simple health care is already a mean feat and Rajeshwari's condition requires her to travel to a big city which is difficult for the time being. when doctors were shown the patient's case file, few of them came forward to express their opinions and diagnosis. Speaking about her condition, Dr.Satyaki Ganguly, Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Raipur, said “ The medical term for this genetic disorder is Ichthyosis Psoriasis and due to very few cases in India, there has not been any major breakthrough in terms of research. Currently, science has no cure for this ailment.” Another dermatologist has another take on Rajeshwari’s case, Dr.Yash Upender from Dantewada Hospital believes that the girl suffers from Epidermolytic Ichthyosis which is not a life threatening disease but is still uncurable. Medication
    MEGA586418_003.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_008.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_011.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_002.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_006.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_007.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_003.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_004.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_005.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_009.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_010.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Boy with webbed fingers, toes treated like a pariah in the neighborhood and at school, poor parents pin hope on crowdfunding to get their child treated By Sanjay Pandey in India Twelve-year-old Mannu Kumar is treated like a pariah in his neighborhood and at school because of his appearance. Mannu, standard III student, cannot run around like a regular boy of his age. He can't use hands for eating or any other purpose, nor can he wear shoes or slippers. Mannu suffers from Syndactyly, a rare genetic condition, because of which his hands and feet are fused-like. The disease causes abnormal fusion of hands and feet. The rare condition only affects one in 10 lakh people. Mannu, who hails from the Koderma of the east Indian state of Jharkhand, is the eldest child of Anand Kumar, a small-time grocery shop owner, and Rani Devi, a housewife. Mannu also has one sister and the medical expenses of his condition are quite a burden on the family. His parents have spent a fortune on his treatment in the last two years. They have sold family property and jewelry to arrange funds for the boy's medication and diagnosis. Since his parents are uneducated they couldn't pick on the early signs of the disease and his diagnosis was made only this year in July. Now it is in an advanced stage and doctors have told them that it would take at least Rs 10 lakh for reconstructing Mannu’s hands and feet. Doctors informed the parents that the estimated cost of treatment, including neuro and plastic surgery procedures, would come to approximately Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, the family would have to shell out Rs 5 lakh for the treatment process to begin. Since the family has already exhausted all their resources in the last two years, on the boy's medication, they have started a fundraiser to raise money for his further treatment. His mother Devi said: ‘It is the curse of the God that my son was born like this and I am worried about his future. ‘I’m afraid he might struggle to lead a no
    MEGA177869_001.jpg
  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_008.jpg
  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_003.jpg
  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_006.jpg
  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_004.jpg
  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_005.jpg
  • A 75-year-old man suffering from a rare disease has grown a Hellboy-like horn on his head. Shyamal Lal Yadav, hailing from Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, suffered an injury on his head five years ago. Yadav claims that a horn-like structure started developing in the middle of his head after that. Yadav saw several doctors, but ‘all of them looked clueless’. He finally got the horn sliced with the help of a barber. “I thought to myself finally I had got good riddance from the devil’s horn. But my happiness was short-lived,” said Yadav. As feared, the horn started to grow back on his head and he was completely clueless about his next course of action Fortunately, the growth did not cause any physical discomfort or snowball into a medical issue. But, it had certainly made him a laughing stock. He was embarrassed to roam around in public with the unnatural growth on his head. “I kept doing the rounds of hospitals, but nothing happened. Then I asked my barber to cut the horn with the shaving blade. He did manage to cut it off, but the horn grew back in some time at the same spot,” said the ‘real-life Hellboy’. According to Yadav, he travelled to Bhopal (around 170km from Sagar) and Nagpur (around 388km from his home) to consult senior experts, however, had to come back as he could not afford the cost of the operation. The medical fraternity was in a tizzy as they hadn’t witnessed anything like that. His quest finally ended at a private clinic run by Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye in his home town Sagar. Dr. Gajbhiye said,” “The four-inch horn was solid and had sizable thickness.” The physician carried out a CT scan to ensure that the horn wasn’t deep enough to require the intervention of a neurosurgeon. The physician went ahead with the head surgery to remove the horn. After the horn was removed, the surgeons used the skin of Yadav’s forehead to fill up the gap through plastic surgery. Dr. Gajbhiye calls it a rare case and claimed t
    MEGA503504_007.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_007.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_009.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_014.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_019.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_022.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_025.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_032.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_039.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_041.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_001.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_002.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_004.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_003.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_006.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_008.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_010.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_011.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_013.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_015.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_020.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_021.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_024.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_026.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_030.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_031.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_034.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_035.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_036.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_038.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_012.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_017.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_018.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_016.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_023.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_028.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_027.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
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  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_033.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
    MEGA506733_037.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: Battling a rare health condition that has left half of her face disfigured, a 24-year-old Indian woman says she tries to live positively despite jeers by people. Sasikala K, from Chennai, the capital of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, suffers from plexiform neurofibromatosis, which has taken a toll on her face, affecting the right side. However, she admits her confidence has taken a hit of late. Sasikala, who prefers to live boldly and does not cover her face, likes dressing up and wearing make-up, much like girls her age, though she finds it difficult to execute them owing to her complications. She was only six-months-old when her parents noticed a part of her face swelling. However, they waited for another one and a half years to get medical help. “I have always been very bold, however, with age, the condition progressed and no one has come for help,” she says, adding, “I am slowly losing my confidence.” According to medical experts, her condition affects the face and craniofacial region of the body. It can also affect the neck and other parts of the body, depending upon the host. The family had not considered the deformity to be a big issue until Sasikala turned six and the face started to swell at an unusual rate. Now, almost 18 years later, she finds it difficult to execute daily chores like eating and brushing. The 24-year old is an employee at an embroidery unit run by a trust. Sasikala took it up as a means to support her family after completing her diploma in nursing and unable to land a job in the hospitality sector. Kumar, 54, Sasikala’s father, says his daughter has been under the knife four times, but it has only gotten worse. “She was six when doctors operated upon her for the first time,” Kumar says. “The result was satisfying and she looked normal,” he added. However, the joy was short-lived, as the tumours grew back again. Kumar says upon approaching the doctors again, he was told that it could be controlled but wou
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  • Review of the Year 2017: December: Three-week-old Vanellope Hope Wilkins, who was due to be delivered on Christmas Eve before an incredibly rare condition, in which the heart grows on the outside of the body meant she had to be born prematurely by caesarean section on November 22, is caressed and touched by her parents Naomi Findlay and Dean Wilkins, at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, after surviving, in what is believed to be a UK first.
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  • April 26, 2017 - Uttar Pradesh, India - Rupesh, 21, ..pictured with his mother Shanti Devi, 45, and father Rama Pati, 50, at his residence in Dharecha village of Hanumanganj district in Uttar Prdesh, India.....He suffers from a rare Hutchison Gilford Progeria Syndrome (a rare genetic condition that causes a child's body to age fast). Rupesh’s body started showing abnormal changes as he grew older. His head became bigger while his body shrivelled. At just 21, he now looks like an old man.  (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
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  • April 26, 2017 - UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - 2017 : Rupesh, 21, who suffers from a rare Hutchison Gilford Progeria Syndrome (a rare genetic condition that causes a child's body to age fast) pictured at his residence in Dharecha village of Hanumanganj district in Uttar Prdesh, India.....Rupesh’s body started showing abnormal changes as he grew older. His head became bigger while his body shrivelled. At just 21, Rupesh now looks like an old man. (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
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  • April 26, 2017 - Uttar Pradesh, India - Rupesh, 21, who suffers from a rare Hutchison Gilford Progeria Syndrome (a rare genetic condition that causes a child's body to age fast) pictured at his residence in Dharecha village of Hanumanganj district in Uttar Prdesh, India.....Rupesh’s body started showing abnormal changes as he grew older. His head became bigger while his body shrivelled. At just 21, Rupesh now looks like an old man.  (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
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  • July 31, 2017 - Miramar, FL, USA - Members of Miami Workers Center, a grassroots immigrants rights group, pray for Reina Gomez, an undocumented woman from Honduras battling a rare form of leukemia, as she attends her scheduled check-in appointment with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Miramar, Fla.  Gomez thought she was facing possible deportation but after showing proof of her medical condition, ICE delayed a final decision in her case. (Credit Image: © Susan Stocker/TNS via ZUMA Wire)
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  • April 26, 2017 - UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - 2017 : Dr Girish Pandey (left) and helping Rupesh, 21, to put his coat on, at his residence in Dharecha village of Hanumanganj district in Uttar Prdesh, India.....Rupesh, 21, suffers from a rare Hutchison Gilford Progeria Syndrome (a rare genetic condition that causes a child's body to age fast). His body started showing abnormal changes as he grew older. His head became bigger while his body shrivelled. At just 21, Rupesh he looks like an old man.....Pictures supplied by : Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
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  • File photo dated 09/07/2017 of the parents of Charlie Gard, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, in Queen Square, London, ahead of delivering a petition with more than 350,000 signatures to Great Ormond Street Hospital, the 11-month-old boy whose parents fought a strenuous legal battle to take him to the US for treatment for a rare genetic condition, has died, a family spokeswoman has said.
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  • zReportage.com Story of the Week # 634 - Bloodline - Launched June 19, 2017 - Full multimedia experience: audio, stills, text and or video: Go to zReportage.com to see more - This essay offers a rare look inside the daily lives of members of one of the biggest gangs in the United States.'The Bloodline' are a chapter designated by the Brooklynn Latin Kings gang to the State of New York, one of the most organized gangs in America with more than 35,000 active members. The Kings are the oldest and largest Hispanic street gang in the United States, its roots date to 1954 Humboldt Park in Chicago. We see the extreme life conditions for the majority of gang members and also the relationship between gang members and society. It explores the intimacy and naivety of teenagers who have been pushed by their economic status, racial or social issues to survive in a hostile environment in one of the most developed cities in the world. It also draws attention to the happiness, unity and respect they show each other and the importance of the family and religion in their lives. The Trump administration recently vowed to crack down on violent gang members and criminals from American Communities. Recent nationwide gang apprehension programs such as Project Dawn, focusing on dismantling transnational gangs have seen hundreds arrested in New York alone. (Credit Image: © Nicolas Enriquez/zReportage.com via ZUMA Wire)
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