A ten-year-old boy with a giant tumour on his neck could be cured after being prescribed Viagra.
Jose Serrano, of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, was losing time as the
life-threatening growth could stop him breathing by putting pressure on
his windpipe, with surgeons desperate to operate.
But it will not be safe until the cystic growth, known as a
lymphangioma, is smaller. Viagra, which is most famous for helping male
impotence, has been discovered to shrink growths in children.
Jose is now taking the medicine in the hope he will one day be able to live life as a normal boy.
He said: ‘If the doctors can cure me I will be so happy. I would be
thrilled. I would be healthy and I'd be able to do anything I want. I
could run fast, play on the swings and rings - anything I want.’
The growth is rough and scaly and often forms painful cysts. It extends across Jose's shoulder and restricts his movement.
He cannot swim because the water causes him pain and he gets tired easily if playing football and riding his bike.
And now some of the cysts are invading his lungs and approaching his
windpipe. There are also fears it could one day spread to his eyes and
affect his vision.
‘It's been difficult,’ his mother Cindy explained. ‘People stare at him.
Some of them have these terrible, morbid looks on their faces.
Smiles: Jose, ten, with his mother Cindy, and father Jose Ramirez Sr. It
was only last year that his parents even found out what was causing the
growth their son has had since he was a baby
‘We've tried to let Jose lead as normal a life as possible. We let him
do everything the other children do, unless it's unsafe for him or will
be too difficult.
‘But sometimes he gets so sad because he is different from other kids. Until now there was simply no money to treat him.’
'If the doctors can cure me I will be so happy. I would be thrilled. I would be healthy and I'd be able to do anything I want'
Jose Serrano
Another stumbling block for Jose's family has been the cost. The
treatment and surgery to remove the growth will cost a staggering
£125,000 ($200,000).
And then there's the cost of the medication - £1,250 ($2,000) per week,
which Jose has needed to be prescribed for several months. But the
family have been given funding to cover the price.
‘That is unbelievable amount of money for us,’ his mother said. ‘More
money than we'd see in a lifetime. Words can express how grateful we are
to the people who have helped us. It's surreal. It feels like a dream
come true.’
Jose's case was brought to the attention of medical experts after he was
spotted by missionaries from the First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho,
near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Being brave: The growth is rough and scaly and often forms painful cysts. It extends across Jose's shoulder
They helped his family connect with specialists at the University of New Mexico Children's Hospital.
It was only last year that his mother and her husband Jose Ramirez Sr
even found out what was causing the growth their son has had since he
was a baby.
Help: The cost of Jose's ongoing care is being funded with help from a
hospital, fundraisers from a church and donations from around the world
‘When Jose was born with the growth we were terrified for him,’ she
recalled. ‘The doctors told me it was very likely the baby wouldn't even
survive the night.
‘I felt bad because we didn't have the financial resources to get him the help he needed.’
Mr Ramirez Sr added: ‘The little ball he had as a baby has grown and now
it's spreading to the sides. It seems to be filling up more. The first
year was difficult because we didn't know what could happen and if we
could hurt him.
‘The lump was as big as his head, so it was difficult to hold him.
Because they said he wouldn't survive, I get a sense of pride to still
have him.’
Jose Jr said, beaming: ‘Now I have much more hope. I just want to be able to play and have fun.’
The emotional scenes are captured in new TLC UK series Body Bizarre.
Baptist missionary Patricia Avila stumbled across Jose as she and her
husband travelled to Ciudad Juarez, one of the world's poorest and most
dangerous cities, where they work with children in orphanages.
‘We saw him in the street,’ she said. ‘My husband and I turned to each
other and said 'Did you see what I just saw?” I told him “We have to do
something”.’
Now the cost of Jose's ongoing care is being funded with help from the
hospital, fundraisers from the church and donations from around the
world.
Drug-makers Pfizer have agreed to cover the cost of the Viagra.
Teamwork: From left, Baptist missionary Patricia Avila, father Jose
Ramirez Sr, Pastor Si Vudagher, and mother Cindy pose for a photograph
with Jose in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
The boy’s mother, who has three other children, said: ‘Now we can let
ourselves dream about Jose's future. Who knows, maybe one day he can go
to university and make a great life for himself.
'Words can express how grateful we are to the people who have helped us. It's surreal. It feels like a dream come true'
Cindy, Jose's mother
‘Our biggest fear was that the condition would be incurable and his life
would still be at risk. And, of course, we're nervous about the
surgery. But we've been told the chances are good.
‘He's excited to be able to wear collared shirts like his uncles. There
is a girl he has a crush on and he's hoping she will think he looks
handsome.
‘He's very brave. He's been through so much yet he always keeps a smile
on his face. Now we just have to keep ourselves busy and hope for the
best.’
A new medical series follows the family as they bring Jose from Mexico
to the US for treatment and as doctors try to diagnose and find a cure
for the huge growth.
- Jose's story features in episode one of new series Body Bizarre on TLC UK at 10pm on November 11
Source: Daily Mail
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