For 50 years, Mannan Mondal has lived with a strange condition that makes it look as if his face is melting. Mondal is known across India as the “melting man,” because of the large lumps sagging from his face. He is also missing an eye socket, an ear and most of his teeth. Despite his medical challenges, Mondal has done his best to live a normal life. He has been married for 32 years and has four children.
With little money, Mondal hadn’t been able to get medical answers for what is causing his severe facial deformities, Barcroft TV reports. That changed last month, however, when he met with Dr. Ajay Kashyap, the director of plastic surgery at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurgaon, India.
Kashyap examined Mondal and says Mondal suffers from neurofibromatosis, a gene malfunction that causes non-cancerous tumors all over his body.
The disease is genetic and has no cure, but reconstructive surgeons can make it easier for sufferers.
Kashyap also offered to surgically remove the benign tumors and reconstruct his face, according to the Daily Mail.
However, Mondal isn’t sure surgery is right for him, at least for now. He is hoping to help pay for his daughter’s wedding and most of his income comes from panhandling. He fears that his income — about $8.50 a day — would drop because people might be less sympathetic to his condition, according to the Mirror.
“I will have to buy a lot of things — beds, cabinets, rings, watches and a cycle for the groom,” Mondal said.“The money I earn while begging is barely enough to feed my family. But I have no other way to help my daughter. I have to continue like this. I have to think about feeding my family first.”
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