A 21-year-old man with the body of a 160-year-old is thought to be the world's oldest case of 'Benjamin Button'.
Rupesh Kumar, who weighs just 20kg, has aged eight times faster than normal due to Hutchison-Gilford progeria.
The condition is a rare genetic disease that causes dramatic age-reversal and affects one in eight million people.
Rupesh is believed to be the oldest survivor after the death of South African Leon Botha at the age of 26.
His devastated parents have appealed for help - having even been offered money by visitors for their son to appear in the circus.
Rupesh, from Hanumanganj in in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, began to show signs of the syndrome as a young boy.
His condition has worsened as he has got older, with his head growing at an alarming rate, and he is now living in the body of a 160-year-old at the tender age of 26.
Rupesh's desperate parents have now written to India's Prime Minister pleading for help as they struggle to cope with his condition.
The disorder is said to have inspired the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel and Brad Pitt film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in which the character is born an old man and ages backwards.
His father Ramapati Kumar, 45, a farm labourer, said: "It all started with frequent headaches and stomach pains when he was very small. We took him to several doctors, but none of them could diagnose his condition.
"They prescribe a few pain killers and ask us to go home."
As Rupesh grew up, there were abnormal changes in his body and appearance.
His father added: "Over the time, my son's head grew abnormally big and he started shedding weight drastically."
Around five years ago, a few people came to their village to see Rupesh.
Mr Kumar said: "I thought they were good people who wanted to help with the treatment of my son. But I was shocked when they said that they wanted to buy my son and exhibit him as a spectacle in a circus.
"They offered to pay us Rs 300,000. I politely told them to go away. That I would never give my child away even if they had offered Rs 10000000."
His wife Shanti Devi, who spends her days tending to their son, said: "How could they even dare to make such an inhuman offer?"
Dr Yugantar Pandey, who is tending to Rupesh, said: "He is suffering from progeria and there is no cure of this disease so far.
"The symptoms of progeria was first seen in Rupesh at the age of two.
"It was because of this condition that growth stopped, hairs started falling off, skin started sagging and teeth wakened.
"The patient muscles also loose the strength. Like in other cases of progeria, Rupesh's eyes have sunk into his sockets and skin has become pale."
He added: "This is a genetic problem that occurs due to mutation of genes. Most people suffering from progeria die by the time they reach 13-15, but in some cases, like the case of Rupesh, they live up till 21."
Rupesh's parents have written to Prime Minster Narendra Modi asking for help and are still waiting for a reply.
In the meantime a local non profit organisation, Ashutosh Memorial Trust, is helping ensure that Rupesh gets necessary medical care and attention.
Rupesh Kumar, who weighs just 20kg, has aged eight times faster than normal due to Hutchison-Gilford progeria.
The condition is a rare genetic disease that causes dramatic age-reversal and affects one in eight million people.
Rupesh is believed to be the oldest survivor after the death of South African Leon Botha at the age of 26.
His devastated parents have appealed for help - having even been offered money by visitors for their son to appear in the circus.
Rupesh, from Hanumanganj in in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, began to show signs of the syndrome as a young boy.
His condition has worsened as he has got older, with his head growing at an alarming rate, and he is now living in the body of a 160-year-old at the tender age of 26.
Rupesh's desperate parents have now written to India's Prime Minister pleading for help as they struggle to cope with his condition.
The disorder is said to have inspired the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel and Brad Pitt film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in which the character is born an old man and ages backwards.
His father Ramapati Kumar, 45, a farm labourer, said: "It all started with frequent headaches and stomach pains when he was very small. We took him to several doctors, but none of them could diagnose his condition.
"They prescribe a few pain killers and ask us to go home."
As Rupesh grew up, there were abnormal changes in his body and appearance.
His father added: "Over the time, my son's head grew abnormally big and he started shedding weight drastically."
Around five years ago, a few people came to their village to see Rupesh.
Mr Kumar said: "I thought they were good people who wanted to help with the treatment of my son. But I was shocked when they said that they wanted to buy my son and exhibit him as a spectacle in a circus.
"They offered to pay us Rs 300,000. I politely told them to go away. That I would never give my child away even if they had offered Rs 10000000."
His wife Shanti Devi, who spends her days tending to their son, said: "How could they even dare to make such an inhuman offer?"
Dr Yugantar Pandey, who is tending to Rupesh, said: "He is suffering from progeria and there is no cure of this disease so far.
"The symptoms of progeria was first seen in Rupesh at the age of two.
"It was because of this condition that growth stopped, hairs started falling off, skin started sagging and teeth wakened.
"The patient muscles also loose the strength. Like in other cases of progeria, Rupesh's eyes have sunk into his sockets and skin has become pale."
He added: "This is a genetic problem that occurs due to mutation of genes. Most people suffering from progeria die by the time they reach 13-15, but in some cases, like the case of Rupesh, they live up till 21."
Rupesh's parents have written to Prime Minster Narendra Modi asking for help and are still waiting for a reply.
In the meantime a local non profit organisation, Ashutosh Memorial Trust, is helping ensure that Rupesh gets necessary medical care and attention.
Music: "Sardana" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Source: Mirror
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