A Nepalese man with a tumor so large that it covered half of his face and left him blind in one eye has finally had it removed.
Before his surgery, cruel strangers would stare, take pictures without his permission, and in one case even label him a devil in a past life.
Ashok Shrestha, 60, from Kathmandu, Nepal, suffers from neurofibromatosis – a rare genetic condition that causes tumors to form on his nervous tissue.
The former accountant has had tumors on his face since he was just two years old, and by the age of 30 they had grown to over six inches long covering more than half of his face and blinded him in his right eye.
Left: Ashok in the photo had previously had his surgery to reduce the size of his tumor that covered more than half of his face. Right: after Ashok had his surgery to shrink the tumor. The former accountant suffers from neurofibromatosis – a rare genetic condition that causes tumors to form on a person’s nervous tissue
Ashok has had tumors on his face since he was two years old, and by the time he was 30, they had covered more than half of his face and blinded his right eye. He was found in the streets of Kathmandu by a London-based singer while growing up there
Despite traveling to India for surgery in 1989, the tumors continued to grow, as did strangers’ stigma towards Ashok.
People stared at him, questioned him about the disease, and unashamedly took pictures without his permission. On one occasion, a man even accused him of being the devil in a past life.
Despite having a master’s degree in accounting, Ashok found it increasingly difficult to find a job because of his appearance.
When his father died of a heart attack and his mother died of a brain haemorrhage shortly after, Ashok was left with nothing.
Fed up with his deteriorating condition and failed surgeries, Ashok looked for the best doctor in the world in the hope that the tumors could be removed once and for all.
After discovering Dr. Mckay McKinnon, a plastic surgeon specializing in the removal of large tumors, Ashok began his crowdfunding efforts.
Despite an operation in India in 1989, the tumors continued to grow. He was fed up with the social stigma he faced and sought a doctor in the hope that he could have the tumors removed
Left: Ashok, pictured as a child before the tumor started to grow. Right: Ashok pictured with his father in his younger years. Both his mother and father died, leaving Ashok with nothing
London-based singer Kristina Allen, 24, grew up in Kathmandu and saw Ashok sitting in a local tea shop every day.
In 2015, Kristina returned to Kathmandu for the Christmas break after studying in the UK and wanting to help Ashok, and set out to raise awareness for his crowdfunding campaign.
Kristina took to social media and started a Go Fund Me page for Ashok and the total quickly rose to over £ 31,000.
In March 2018, Ashok underwent his first surgery and has since undergone five more surgeries that have reduced the size of his tumor by 90 percent.
Not only have the surgeries boosted his confidence, but they have also given him the ability to communicate clearly, something previously prevented by the tumor covering his mouth.
While Ashok remains blind in his right eye, he has been given an eye prosthesis that has significantly increased his self-esteem.
London-based singer Kristina Allen grew up in Kathmandu and always saw Ashok sitting on the street. She returned to the city in 2015 and went to work to loot the consciousness of a crowdfunding campaign to help Ashok raise funds for surgery
Left: Ashok in the hospital with Dr. Mckay McKinnon who conducted his operations in Chicago. Right: Ashok in hospital after his first surgery. The crowdfunding campaign raised more than £ 31,000 to fund the surgeries to reduce Ashok’s tumor
This growth in confidence has led Ashok to find work in a Nepalese restaurant in his new home, Chicago, although he eventually wants to return to his former career in accounting.
“When I was two, a doctor visited Nepal from London and I had my first operation,” said Ashok.
However, the tumors continued to grow. Nothing actually changed until I was thirty and then I had further surgeries in India to try and remove the tumor that now covered half of my face.
These operations in India were unsuccessful. People started to fear me and the way I looked.
‘The large tumor on my face made it very difficult for me to eat and drink. My speech was also distorted, making it difficult for other people to understand what I was saying.
Someone even said ‘you were a devil in a past life’ because of my appearance.
Before his surgery, Ashok visited an art gallery in Nebraska where a portrait of him is on display
Ashok stands with Rachel Mindrup, the artist behind Ashok’s portrait on display at the Nebraska Art Gallery, seen on the wall behind them
‘In Nepal, circumstances like his often carry a stigma. People stare at me for a long time, which makes me feel very uncomfortable.
Some people even come right up to me to question me – and ask me why I look like this.
“With Kristina’s help, we managed to start a crowdfunding campaign and since then I’ve had five operations in America, all of which have been very successful.
‘They managed to remove 90 percent of the tumor on my face and I now have an eye prosthesis. I can’t believe the improvement after all this time.
“Recently, I also got a job as a chef in a Nepalese restaurant in Chicago and I am starting to feel accepted and part of society.”
Although Ashok has found everyday life in Chicago much easier since his surgeries, he still finds strangers staring, but hopes one day he will be seen as just another person.
With at least two more surgeries planned to remove as much of the remaining tumor as possible, Ashok hopes his dream of being treated like anyone else will come true.
With at least two more surgeries planned to remove as much of the remaining tumor as possible, Ashok hopes this dream will come true.
His ultimate goal is to help others who suffer from neurofibromatosis find work.
“I no longer have the level of harassment I have ever experienced in Nepal,” Ashok said.
However, some people I meet are still staring at me. I really want to be seen as just another person.
Before his operation, Ashok felt self-conscious and was the target of much mockery from passing strangers. Now he says he no longer faces the level of harassment he has experienced in Nepal
‘I am hopeful that this day will one day come – especially as my remaining tumors will have to be removed in the future.
‘If the opportunity presents itself, I would like to do some courses that will help me get a better job.
‘My dream is to set up a foundation that would help people like me with neurofibromatosis find work to give them the support they need to get through life.
“My happiness would come if I made a positive difference to people suffering from neurofibromatosis.”
