Achahasira
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 9, 2011
- 1,213
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Huang Chuncai
Huang Chuncai ( Chinese: 黃春才 ) (b. 1977) is a
Chinese man who became famous for being " China's
Elephant man". He is suffering from an extreme case
of neurofibromatosis , which caused such large
tumours on his face that they had completely
distorted his features.
Born in the southern parts of Hunan province, Huang
is the eldest of three children. In addition to his
parents, his family also consists of his brother, his
sister and his nephew. His father earned money by
selling noodles in the local market.
Huang's parents first noticed signs of his illness when
he was four years old. He was taken to hospital and
was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis. However, the
doctors advised against removing the tumors -- an
operation that Huang's parents were too poor to
afford anyway -- because they believed it to be too
dangerous.
Huang's tumor continued to grow, and although he
began attending school when he was eight, he
eventually left four years later, as he felt alienated by
the other children, who called him the elephant man.
By the time he was 31, his tumor weighed 15 kg. [1 ]
Around 2007, he caught the attention of the doctors
at the Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, who
decided to try removing the tumour. His first
operation in July 2007 removed a 15 kg (33 lb.)
tumour from the right side of his face, and the second
one in January 2008 removed another 10 lb. (4. 5kg)
of tissue from the same side. [2]
A third operation was scheduled for late 2008, which
would have removed the tumor on the left side of his
face. [3]
In the BodyShock series, Huang was the subject of a
2008 documentary episode entitled "I Am the
Elephant Man". [1 ]
Huang Chuncai ( Chinese: 黃春才 ) (b. 1977) is a
Chinese man who became famous for being " China's
Elephant man". He is suffering from an extreme case
of neurofibromatosis , which caused such large
tumours on his face that they had completely
distorted his features.
Born in the southern parts of Hunan province, Huang
is the eldest of three children. In addition to his
parents, his family also consists of his brother, his
sister and his nephew. His father earned money by
selling noodles in the local market.
Huang's parents first noticed signs of his illness when
he was four years old. He was taken to hospital and
was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis. However, the
doctors advised against removing the tumors -- an
operation that Huang's parents were too poor to
afford anyway -- because they believed it to be too
dangerous.
Huang's tumor continued to grow, and although he
began attending school when he was eight, he
eventually left four years later, as he felt alienated by
the other children, who called him the elephant man.
By the time he was 31, his tumor weighed 15 kg. [1 ]
Around 2007, he caught the attention of the doctors
at the Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, who
decided to try removing the tumour. His first
operation in July 2007 removed a 15 kg (33 lb.)
tumour from the right side of his face, and the second
one in January 2008 removed another 10 lb. (4. 5kg)
of tissue from the same side. [2]
A third operation was scheduled for late 2008, which
would have removed the tumor on the left side of his
face. [3]
In the BodyShock series, Huang was the subject of a
2008 documentary episode entitled "I Am the
Elephant Man". [1 ]
