Mother forced to flee her village - PHOTO

Sarotin, 46, from East Jakarta, is believed to be suffering from neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition which causes uncontrollable growths along the nerves.The mother of four who only uses one name has suffered from the condition for three years.Half her face has been obscured by a tumour as well as hundreds of smaller ones covering her entire body. Widowed Sarotin, says she could not afford medical treatment in her home village in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Neurofibromatosis is the name for a number of genetic conditions that cause swellings or lumps.Although many people who have the condition inherit it from one of their parents, up to 50 per cent develop it randomly from a gene mutation before they are born.Despite their alarming appearance, the growths and swellings - called neurofibromas and caused by a growth of cells - are not cancerous or contagious.Last month an Indonesian man whose body is covered by hundreds of tumours made a final plea for help as the rare condition robs him of his sight.Slamet, from East Java, is reported to have developed the condition after he had a tumour removed from his waist in 1991.Slamet's kind-hearted neighbours in Nguntoronadi, Magetan, East Java, have started a Facebook group to try and raise enough money to fund the removal of the tumours.In November a photo of Vinicio Riva, who also has neurofibromatosis, spread across the world when he was warmly embraced by Pope Francis at one of the pontiff's weekly audiences in St Peter's Square.(dailymail.co.uk)ANN.Az