BackgroundJose Mestre is a 51 year old man from Lison, Portugal. His story will be told next Wednesday on Five on the Extraordinary People series as this is one very extraordinary man.
For the past 35 years, half of his face has been taken over by a massive growth, distorting it out of all recognition – and it's still growing. The tumour is now 15 inches long and weighs a staggering 12 pounds. Here's a youtube video on Jose Mestre, you will need to be a member to view this and over 18. (Easy to join)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=EhdrzCGxlDE
He has had years of misunderstanding, misdiagnosis and a lack of money for treatment, he has also tolerated taunts from people who are not always cruel but sometimes senseless. I admit when I first saw the advert for the programme I was intrigued and perversely looking forward to watching the show on Wednesday to find out more about this ‘tumour’. Am I being as senseless as those who wish to take photos?
Jose has become like the Elephant man all those years ago and looking at what he has, it is
possible that Joseph Merrick had the same condition, or at least a mixture of this and other medical conditions.Jose has already been part of a programme on the Documentary Channel which was shown in December and if you were lucky enough to see that then you have an advantage over me. That said, read on because you may still learn more about this condition. Jose’s condition is a vascular malformation, called HAEMANGIOMA. This is a collection of blood vessels and veins in his face that have expanded, producing a raised red area on the skin. I found this description which I think says it better than I could;
“in effect what should be a river carrying blood back to his heart has turned into a lake, which has now expanded to obliterate the rest of his features.”
Jose was born with a strawberry-coloured birth mark on his upper lip; at puberty his face started growing, eventually smothering his lips, nose and one of his eyes. He is now blinded in one eye and the tumour is beginning to suffocate him.
This remarkable man has always been fearful of surgery because of religious beliefs. He is a Jehovah’s Witness and the risk of surgery would carry the risk of severe bleeding and ultimately the danger of death. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that blood must not be transfused, although some Medical procedures involving certain blood fractions are left to conscience.
Hope
Jose’s search led him to one of the UK's top facial surgeons who suggested treating Jose by ultrasound waves. The ultrasound waves coagulate the blood before the operation which should allow the operation to go ahead without heavy bleeding.
Jose’s search for an effective treatment may have arrived, but it was still high risk surgery.
Jose travelled over to the UK and endured tests and was examined by two doctors, Loshan Kangesu, a consultant plastic surgeon at Broomfield Hospital, and Dr Iain Hutchison of St Bartholomew's in London. Dr Hutchison, who also runs the Saving Faces surgery research charity was optimistic that a single operation with a harmonic scalpel (the scalpel which cauterises as it cuts), could have a remarkable effect on Jose’s features;
"I think we can remove a large proportion of the lesions – around 80 per cent," he said. "We would then have to deal with the underlying nose, lip and tongue disfigurement."
"I have never seen a vascular malformity as bad," he added.
Pictured here is Jose sightseeing in London, however he is more used to visiting Rossio Square, one of the Lison's main plazas. Jose would sit out the afternoons and has become a local celebrity; he has never resented the stares and questions of strangers. He will always have a disfigured face but can surgery help to stop the tumour supressing his airways and give him more 'normal' appearance?
Jose’s search for an effective treatment may have arrived, but it was still high risk surgery.
Jose travelled over to the UK and endured tests and was examined by two doctors, Loshan Kangesu, a consultant plastic surgeon at Broomfield Hospital, and Dr Iain Hutchison of St Bartholomew's in London. Dr Hutchison, who also runs the Saving Faces surgery research charity was optimistic that a single operation with a harmonic scalpel (the scalpel which cauterises as it cuts), could have a remarkable effect on Jose’s features;
"I think we can remove a large proportion of the lesions – around 80 per cent," he said. "We would then have to deal with the underlying nose, lip and tongue disfigurement."
"I have never seen a vascular malformity as bad," he added.
Pictured here is Jose sightseeing in London, however he is more used to visiting Rossio Square, one of the Lison's main plazas. Jose would sit out the afternoons and has become a local celebrity; he has never resented the stares and questions of strangers. He will always have a disfigured face but can surgery help to stop the tumour supressing his airways and give him more 'normal' appearance?
Watch Wednesday's show on Five and see what happens.
Brave man
Brave man
Support groups
SAVING FACES www.savingfaces.co.uk Aims to reduce facial injuries and diseases worldwide through education and research. Aims to improve the physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and other facial diseases by leading research into these conditions and injuries.
CHANGING FACES www.changingfaces.org.uk Changing Faces is a national charity based in the UK that supports and represents people who have disfigurements of the face or body from any cause. The programme interviewed James Partridge, the founder of Changing Faces.
THE BIRTHMARK SUPPORT GROUP www.birthmarksupportgroup.org.uk The Birthmark Support Group was set up by parents of children with birthmarks in December 1998 at the suggestion of Drs Harper and Syed from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Objective is to provide a UK based support group for anyone with a birthmark.
SAVING FACES www.savingfaces.co.uk Aims to reduce facial injuries and diseases worldwide through education and research. Aims to improve the physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and other facial diseases by leading research into these conditions and injuries.
CHANGING FACES www.changingfaces.org.uk Changing Faces is a national charity based in the UK that supports and represents people who have disfigurements of the face or body from any cause. The programme interviewed James Partridge, the founder of Changing Faces.
THE BIRTHMARK SUPPORT GROUP www.birthmarksupportgroup.org.uk The Birthmark Support Group was set up by parents of children with birthmarks in December 1998 at the suggestion of Drs Harper and Syed from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Objective is to provide a UK based support group for anyone with a birthmark.
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