A Bangladeshi man hasn’t walked in 40 years – because of a mystery condition that has caused a six stone tumour to grow on his thigh.
Haroon Patwari, 53, has his whole body riddled with tiny tumours, one of which has grown to enormous proportions on his upper right leg.
Children are ‘scared’ of Haroon, forcing him to live as a recluse which has left him ‘frustrated’, according to local reports.
He is unable to work, and is completely reliant on his wife, Jaytun Nisa, 49, and two children for financial support and to help him stand up.
Haroon Patwari, 53, has his whole body riddled with tiny tumours, one of which has grown to enormous proportions on his upper right leg
Haroon, from Narayanpur in Chandpur district, said: ‘I drag my feet to walk. The leg feels too heavy to even lift it up. If I am sitting I need help of someone to stand.’
Tumours began to appear on his body when he was nine.
His illiterate, poverty-stricken parents relied on alternative treatments and doctors to stop the growth – but nothing worked.
Haroon, whose leg was engulfed by the massive tumour by the time he was 30, said: ‘I had these boils on my body and was given some local medicines.
‘However, instead of them healing, the tumours started spreading at a rapid pace.’
Left in immense pain
His wife Jaytun said: ‘I have seen him suffering for 33 years. He is in immense pain. It is heartbreaking to see him living like this.
Children are ‘scared’ of Haroon, forcing him to live as a recluse which has left him ‘frustrated’, according to local reports. He is unable to work, and is completely reliant on his wife, Jaytun Nisa, 49, and two children for financial support and to help him stand up
‘He can do nothing on his own and needs support to stand because the leg is very heavy.’
Haroon’s mysterious condition has made him a laughing stock among children in the village – around 90 miles (145km) from Dhaka, the country’s capital.
But luckily, the adults have come in his support and offer help to run his family.
Children are scared of him
He said: ‘Children are sacred of me so I do not go out much but their parents have been kind to us.
‘For decades, they have been contributing food or money to run our family.’
The frail man, whose days are spent restricted inside his tiny shanty, however, wishes to work on his own.
He said: ‘I am frustrated of living as a recluse. I want to go out and meet people. I wish to get rid of this tumour. It has made me an idle man.
‘I want to set up my own business and earn enough to feed my family.’
His son Masud has just started working as a labourer at a store but the money is not enough to feed four people. He earns £18 (2000 Taka).
The help of social activists
Haroon’s case has been taken up by Mamun Biswas, a social activist on a mission to raise awareness and funds for such patients using social media.
Mamun said: ‘This man not only wants to get treatment but he is also keen on starting working again.
‘This sort of energy is commendable. We are doing every bit to help him and our in touch with health department.
‘It is always nice if people come forward to help such patients get treatment.
‘I wish we could arrange enough funds to not only get him treatment but also gift him a small shop.’