• Facebook
  • Twitter
x

RealTime Images

  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
  • Video
  • Blog
  • Archive
Show Navigation
Cart Lightbox Client Area

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
{ 62 images found }
twitterlinkedinfacebook

Loading ()...

  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_011.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_009.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_008.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_010.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_005.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_006.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_007.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_003.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_004.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_001.jpg
  • EXCLUSIVE: By Sanjay Pandey and Supito Maity in Sao Paulo A 28-year-old Brazilian woman crippled by sheer weight and disproportionate size of tumours in her lower limbs is pleading for help from the netizens. Karina Rodini, who was fired from her job and is forced stay unmarried due to her medical condition, says the disease took a heavy toll on her personal and professional life. Karina has spent most of her adult life hiding it in public. But after last year’s botched up surgery in a state-run hospital, her ‘legs have become double the size and no clothes fit her’, making her a pariah in the locality. Karina suffers from type one neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition marked by changes in skin colour and the growth of non-cancerous cysts in different parts. The disease affects one in 4000 people globally. According to the US National Library of Medicine, patient with type one neufibromatosis are born with one mutated copy of the NF1 gene in each cell. It said, "In about half of cases, the altered gene is inherited from an affected parent. The remaining cases result from new mutations in the NF1 gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family." Karina, from Sao Paulo, was just two when ‘coffee milk’ patches started to appear on her skin. She said due to the lack of formation of lumps, the doctors could barely make out what ailed her. “I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when I was only two years old, at first it was only ‘coffee milk’ patches so the doctor couldn’t do anything because there were no lumps or tumours,” she said. The cysts started to show up almost nine years later. One year later, when she was 12, Karina underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst, weighing around nine kilograms, from her uterus. According to her, the cavity gave her a semblance of a pregnant woman. Being the oldest child among three, Karina has always received love from her mother, Fatima M. Abou Ali, 58, a single woman, who raised
    MEGA348608_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_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_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_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_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_005.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_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_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
    MEGA506733_029.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_040.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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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
    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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_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_022.jpg
  • August 21, 2017 - ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA - ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST, 15, 2017 :   General view of the Rama Krishna Mission Hospital where 31-year-old woman was admitted in Itanagar city of Arunachal Pradesh, India.  ....The 31-year-old woman from a remote village was suffering from heavy and painful menstrual cycle from the past few years. The lady had developed multiple benign tumours in her uterus known as Myomas. On August 15, a team of three doctors, successfully removed the tumours weighing 3.3 kgs, keeping her uterus intact.....Pictures Supplied by : Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    RTI20170821_zaa_c205_001.jpg
  • South Africa - Cape Town - 6 October 2020 - The iconic Table Mountain was light up in gold on Tuesday, October 6 for the fighters, survivors and those who have passed away from childhood cancer.<br />
Gold is the colour of choice because the international awareness symbol for Childhood Cancer is the gold ribbon. This ribbon symbolises all forms of cancer affecting children and adolescents, unlike other ribbons, which focus on one particular cancer.<br />
According to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), the five most prevalent childhood cancers in South Africa are:<br />
– Leukaemia<br />
– Lymphoma (tumours that begin in the lymph glands)<br />
– Brain tumours<br />
– Nephroblastomas or Wilms tumours – cancer of the kidneys<br />
– Soft tissue sarcomas (tumours that begin in the connective tissue)<br />
CANSA has been spearheading the fight against cancer in South Africa since 1931. The purpose of the organisation has been to offer the public an integrated and unique service to all who have been affected by cancer. Photographer: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)  
    Table-Mountain-Going-Gold-DSC_465.JPG
  • August 3, 2017 - inconnu - Patients with neurological disease or brain tumours could have a window fitted into the skull to allow utrasound surgery.Ultrasound is already utilized to treat brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. It can also be used to kill cancer cells and to dissolve stroke-causing blood clots. Unfortunately, the thickness and density of the skull absorbs or reflects much of the ultrasound before it reaches the brain, making treatments less effective than they would be otherwise. Ultrasound sound waves are at a higher frequency than those audible to humans.However, the human skull is between 2 mm and 8 mm thick and relatively dense, meaning that most sound waves are reflected or absorbed before they make it into the brain.Now researchers have come up with a solution be creating a window on the brain. Developed by scientists at the University of California, Riverside along with colleagues from three Mexican research institutes, the window actually consists of an implant which is located beneath the scalp, replacing part of the cranium bone.It's made from a ceramic material known as Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ), which is biocompatible, extremely hard and shatter-resistant. Due to these qualities, it's already used in applications such as dental crowns and hip replacements.The material also has a very low porosity, which allows targeted ultrasound waves to easily pass through during repeated treatment sessions. .The window would overcome this proiblems.A previous version of the technology has already been developed to let therapeutic laser light pulses get through to the brain, which is currently in pre-clinical trials.Study co-leader Prof. Guillermo Aguilar said: ''Developing an optically and radio-frequency transparent cranial implant was already an exciting accomplishment.“We continue to work to make this implant a reality.”''Proving that ultrasound could be transmitted through the implant could expand its thera
    20170803_zaf_v01_031.jpg
  • April 5, 2017 - UTTARAKHAND, INDIA- APRIL, 4, 2017: After surgery picture of Bheem Sen, 55, who had a major tumour removed at Jeewan Rekha Hospital, in Uttarakhand, India.....He underwent surgery after doctors found that he had a severe case of Lipoma with ulceration. His huge 6 year old spherical shaped tumour weighing over 1.5 kg was removed in a hour long surgery by a team of seven doctors at Jeewan Rekha Hospital.....Bheem has now been discharged from the hospital and is under constant observation with regular follow ups.....Pictures supplied by: Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    20170405_zaa_c205_001.jpg
  • July 26, 2017 - Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India - Released Today: Photo day July 6, 2017 - Picture of the rare football sized ovarian tumour removed from an eleven-year-old girl at Sheth LG Hospital in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India..The girl complained of abdominal pain and swelling, doctors suspected it to be a malignant tumour and following a thorough study and diagnosis they decided to surgically remove the tumour.....A team of doctors successfully removed the 2.5kg (5.5lbs) cancerous ovarian tumour in a two hour long operation. (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    RTI20170726_zaa_c205_006.jpg
  • October 26, 2016 - Dalbandin, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - OCTOBER, 24, 2016: Doctors performing surgery and removing a gigantic tumour weighing 25 kg (55 lbs) from Zarr Bibi Baloch, 46, at Prince Fahad Hospital in Dalbandin City in Balochistan, Pakistan.....Zarr Bibi from the Chagai district of Balochistan complained of severe pain in the lower abdomen and was rushed to hospital by her family on October 10, 2016. The surgeons successfully removed a tumour, larger than a basketball, from the woman‚Äôs stomach.....Pictures Supplied by: Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    20161026_zaa_c205_004.JPG
  • October 26, 2016 - Dalbandin, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - OCTOBER, 24, 2016: Surgeons removing a gigantic tumour weighing 25 kg (55 lbs) from Zarr Bibi Baloch, 46, at Prince Fahad Hospital in Dalbandin City in Balochistan, Pakistan.....Zarr Bibi from the Chagai district of Balochistan complained of severe pain in the lower abdomen and was rushed to hospital by her family on October 10, 2016. The surgeons successfully removed a tumour, larger than a basketball, from the woman‚Äôs stomach.....Pictures Supplied by: Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    20161026_zaa_c205_003.JPG
  • October 26, 2016 - Dalbandin, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - OCTOBER, 24, 2016: The team of surgeons who removed a gigantic tumour weighing 25 kg (55 lbs) from the stomach of Zarr Bibi Baloch, 46, at Prince Fahad Hospital in Dalbandin City in Balochistan, Pakistan.....Zarr Bibi from the Chagai district of Balochistan complained of severe pain in the lower abdomen and was rushed to hospital by her family on October 10, 2016. The surgeons successfully removed a tumour, larger than a basketball, from the woman‚Äôs stomach.....Pictures Supplied by: Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    20161026_zaa_c205_001.JPG
  • October 26, 2016 - Dalbandin, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - OCTOBER, 24, 2016: Gigantic tumour weighing 25 kg (55 lbs) removed from the stomach of Zarr Bibi Baloch, 46, at Prince Fahad Hospital in Dalbandin City in Balochistan, Pakistan.....Zarr Bibi from the Chagai district of Balochistan complained of severe pain in the lower abdomen and was rushed to hospital by her family on October 10, 2016. The surgeons successfully removed a tumour, larger than a basketball, from the woman‚Äôs stomach.....Pictures Supplied by: Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    20161026_zaa_c205_002.JPG
  • October 26, 2016 - Dalbandin, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN - OCTOBER, 24, 2016: The team of surgeons who removed a gigantic tumour weighing 25 kg (55 lbs) from the stomach of Zarr Bibi Baloch, 46, at Prince Fahad Hospital in Dalbandin City in Balochistan, Pakistan.....Zarr Bibi from the Chagai district of Balochistan complained of severe pain in the lower abdomen and was rushed to hospital by her family on October 10, 2016. The surgeons successfully removed a tumour, larger than a basketball, from the woman‚Äôs stomach.....Pictures Supplied by: Cover Asia Press (Credit Image: © Cover Asia Press/Cover Asia via ZUMA Press)
    20161026_zaa_c205_001.JPG