Habib Ullah Khan suffers neurofibromatosis, which causes non-cancerous tumours to grow along the nerves in the body
A MAN covered in hundreds of bubble-like tumours that are ravaging his body is forced to live as a recluse because people fear he might infect them.
Habib Ullah Khan, from Karachi in Pakistan, first noticed small lumps growing on his abdomen at the age of ten.
Since then his body has slowly become covered in the benign growths, spreading to his legs, arms, neck and even his face.
The 56-year-old suffers from a severe case of neurofibramatosis, an incurable condition that causes non-cancerous lumps to grow along the nerves in the body and affects just one in 3,000 births.
Habib said it’s not the pain he faces each day from the bubble-like masses that affects him, but the cruel taunts from strangers.
It’s resulted in Habib, who is unmarried, opting to live an isolated life, after his own family disowned him.
“People have ridiculed me throughout my life,” he said.
“No one likes looking at me or being near to me. People think I will infect everything.
“Many landlords don’t want me living in their property or ask me to leave when people complaint about my condition. I’ve had to move many times.”
After the death of his parents two decades ago, Habib left his family home and began living on his own.
With no support, Khan earns his living by begging on the streets of Karachi.
He lives in a single rented room and spends most of his time indoors.
He said: “It was very painful when my own brothers would ask their children to stay away from me.
It was very painful when my own brothers would ask their children to stay away from me
Habib Ullah Khan
“Then, one day I decided to leave the house and live on my own.
“I thought it is better to beg on the streets rather to face this daily humiliation from my own family members.
“Luckily, I don’t have too many tumours on my face which allows me to hide this condition from people.
“I go out only once or twice in a week and remain cautious that people in the neighbourhood do not know about my medical condition.”
Born to a large family, Khan was studious as a child and had big dreams but he was forced to quit studies at a young age due to the debilitating condition.
“I was only ten when small lumps started growing on my abdomen,” Habib recalled.
“When I turned 12, the tumours started spreading to my arms, neck, face and legs.
“My parents took me to several doctors but they said there was no treatment available for this condition.
“Even though I was a bright student, I couldn’t continue my studies after class 5th as no one in the school was talking to me or sharing desk with me,” he said.
Habib’s condition has left several doctors in Pakistan baffled.
Dr Iqbal Nabi Soomro, director at the Institute of Skin Disease, Karachi, believes Habib is suffering neurofibromatosis, for which there is no known cure.
“It looks pretty obvious to me that he has a severe case of neurofibromatosis,” he said.
“There is no cure for this condition in the medical world.
“We can remove his tumours but as this disease is genetic there are chances the tumours will appear again.”
The severity of the condition can vary considerably from person to person, but sufferers are more likely to suffer from behavioural problems, vision difficulties and high blood pressure.
Despite the alarming appearance, the growths and swellings – called neurofibromas and caused by a growth of cells – are not cancerous or contagious.
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