Strange disease: Girl lives like a 'vampire'
Lizzie Tenney (22 years old, in Utah, USA) is living a real life like a 'vampire': very afraid and always avoiding sunlight, because of a rare syndrome.
According toDaily MailOn March 1, Tenney suffered from a condition called xeroderma pigmentosum. It left her with severe sunburns after just a few minutes of sun exposure. It also led to skin cancer and 43 surgeries.
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| Lizzie Tenney always wore long sleeves and a beekeeper's hat that covered her head and chest. DAILY MAIL screenshot |
Tenney was diagnosed with the syndrome when he was 12 years old, and dermatologists discovered it had turned into skin cancer.
Since then, whenever Tenney goes out, she is forced to wear a beekeeper's hood that covers her from head to chest. She also has to wear long pants and long sleeves to cover her face.
Tenney’s house and car are also covered with a “special cream.” She uses a film to cover all the windows of the house and car to keep the sunlight out.
In case, she rides her friend's bike, she must use a plastic shield to cover herself.
With such a strange appearance, when she goes out, she is often teased and many curious people also ask why she dresses so strangely.
Tenny recalls that when she was in elementary school, her classmates were disgusted by her red, itchy skin and eczema. None of her classmates wanted to sit near her.
But luckily, she now has a few close friends who are raising awareness about xeroderma pigmentosum and are doing things to inspire those less fortunate to live happier lives.
Tenney is not the only family member with xeroderma pigmentosum. Tenney’s 7-year-old niece also has the condition. She was diagnosed earlier than Tenny, so her risk of skin cancer is lower than Tenny’s.
In the world, the rate of people with this syndrome is 1/1000,000.