[Trending News] Actor Adam Pearson suffers from the same condition as Portuguese known as “Elephant Man”

Actor Adam Pearson suffers from the same condition as Portuguese known as “Elephant Man”

The disease that conditioned Jose Mestre's life causes the appearance of tumors and the dilation of the vessels of the nerves and under the skin.

Suffers from a rare disease.

In recent days, a derogatory publication, shared on social network X, on the aspect of Adam Pearson, resonated the memories of many Portuguese. The case of the British actor evokes the story of José Mestre, a former traffic policy that became a beggar at Rossio, Lisbon-and was, for years, a figure recognized by all Lisbon (and not only).

What connects these two people? Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a rare disease that causes the appearance of tumors and extreme dilation of blood vessels in the nerves and under the skin. The 40 -year -old actor is the protagonist of the movie “A Different Man”, and was present at the BAFTA ceremony. The gala of the most important British cinema awards took place last Sunday, February 16.

The Briton responded to a publication on social network X, where the places where each artist would sit down, and Adam took place alongside Camila Cabello. In the post, you can read “this is really scary. If it were Camilla, I wouldn't go to the event. ”

The publication was the target of various criticisms, including the actor's response. “Fortunately for everyone, you are not Camila and – even more important – not invited. So, from me, Adam Pearson, directly to you – take your absurd opinions to the other side, for I have no time for your anonymous and capacitist crashes. ”

Adam Pearson is an active voice about the representation of people with disabilities in the cinema, which is the central focus of the film that starred. Treatment of this disease undergoes surgical removal or, if neurofibromas are small, it is possible to do laser removal. Throughout his life, the actor has been subject to dozens of surgeries to remove the tumors, which expanded mainly in the jaw and face zone.

The case of José Mestre

This condition became known in Portugal when the story of José Mestre was discovered, a former traffic policy that during the 1980s and 90s was a frequent presence at Rossio in Lisbon. The man, who also suffered from neurofibramatosis since childhood, a condition that began to manifest out of control from 14 years old, had a tumor of 5.5 pounds and 46 centimeters in the face, which blinded him and made his breath difficult .

The master, nickname he was known, refused to be operated because he did not want to receive blood transfusions, since he was a witness to Jehovah. Everything changed when a British doctor, Ian Hutchison, from São Bartolomeu Hospital in London, developed a new technique, using a “Harmonic scalpel, who uses ultrasound waves to coagulate blood vessels,” he told CNN on December 15 2007.

This type of interventions lasts from six to seven hours and, in Joseph's case, would be held in two phases. In the first one they would remove all the dilated blood vessels and, the second stage, “would be a conventional corrective operation of reconstruction whose purpose would be to reduce the volume of the lip and give the nose a better way.”

Master eventually accepted the offer and, in 2010, flew to Chicago, USA, bound for St. Hospital. Joseph, where plastic surgeon McKay McKinnon did four procedures to try to save his face. Each intervention was spaced between three and five months and lasted six to seven hours. His story was told in the documentary entitled “The Man With No Face,” part of the documentary series “My Shocking Story”, which debuted on Discovery Channel on December 6, 2007.

“I have never seen such a dramatic facial tumor. His face was a mass of fiber, tumors and blood vessels that made him unrecognizable as a human being, ”the surgeon described to the ABC News channel on February 17, 2011. The“ Elephant Man ”, as he became known , died on February 16, 2021, at 65.