A DESPERATE young Chinese woman with a rare condition which has caused her legs to deform and treble in size is dreaming of a normal life after upcoming surgery in Taiwan. Wang Cheng, 24, cannot work or even wear trousers because of the grotesque and painful elephantiasis which has dogged her since the age of six and left her with legs weighing 50 kilos. "I cannot go out to work," Ms Wang told AFP as she slowly raised herself to sitting in her bed at Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital. "Nor can I wear trousers as normal people (do)." http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23857869-2,00.html?green My neighbor has really huge legs and tiny feet tho she suffers from overall obesity.. the condition is terrible with red, scaly skin.
This is a rare disease the Elephant Man suffered from. Thankfully she is in this modern age of medicine. Can't imagine what it was like for the Elephant Man to suffer and be exhibited.
It is case of elephantiasis or filariasis and endemic in certain parts of the world. If diagnosed early, can be cured with a simple drug diethyl carbamazine (DEC tablets).