This boy dubbed 'Turtle Boy' because of a giant mole that covered his entire back like a shell can now live a normal life thanks to a British surgeon.
The six-year-old boy, Didier Montalvo was suffering from a rare condition called Congenital Melanocytic Nevus (CMN) which are moles found in infants at birth and usually larger in diameter. It is said that the rare birthmark affects about one in 20,000 babies born, but a top surgeon described Didier's case as the worst he had ever seen.
The little boy suffered greatly from the huge growth, which had stretched to cover more than half of his body's circumference. Not only did it affect his confidence and make daily life difficult, it was also painfully itchy.
Didier and his mother Luz had to live apart from their neighbours because they feared the boy was touched by evil forces. They accused his mother of having looked at a solar eclipse while pregnant, thus causing the boy's condition. As a result, Didier has not been able to be baptised or attend school.
And what's worse, the mole was growing ever bigger every day that specialists feared it would soon turn malignant or affect his brain.
Leading plastic surgeon Neil Bulstrode was so moved by Didier's plight that he flew to Colombia to operate on Didier for free. The team of doctors had to carry out a complicated series of skin grafts over several stages even before beginning to operate on him.
The mole was successfully removed and Didier is now able to live the life of a normal child.
STOMPer Moly wrote:
"Wow! I didn't know a mole could grow this huge!
"I'm glad that because of kind-hearted soul like the plastic surgeon, not only is the life of the boy saved, his family is also rid of social exclusion."
Yeah! The doc is so kind to perform surgery for the poor kid.