A man from Bathinda, Punjab, who is suffering from plexiform neurofibromatosis wishes to raise money so he can get the tumour removed in order to look after his daughter.

Govardhan Das, 52, has a large swelling on the right side of his face which hangs down to his chest. The tumour makes several everyday tasks very difficult for him.

"I face difficulty in doing basic things like eating, sleeping, and changing clothes. I don't brush my teeth. Few people are scared of me because of my face. This prohibits me from going out a lot," Das said.

He added: "I was four when this problem started. It was not very severe initially but turned worse as I grew up."

The 52-year-old said that he went to Chandigarh for treatment where the doctor told him that he would die. He exhausted all his savings and sold his land for treatment but did not succeed.

"I have a daughter who is mentally unstable. I also have a big brother who takes care of me. My wife died."

Das wants to raise money to be able to treat the tumour so he is able to care for and provide for his daughter.

He claims the treatment would cost him up to 750,000 Indian rupees (£7,412).

A crowdfunding page has been set up to help Das: https://milaap.org/stories/help-govardhan-das-nwsl

A fifty-two-year-old man is in urgent need of funds, after he has exhausted all his savings for the treatment of his face.

Govardhan Das, a resident of Lehri village in Bathinda district of northern India's Punjab, suffers from a complex deformity of the side half of his face. He has a huge swelling with expanded skin arising from the entire right half of face and chin extending and hanging till his abdomen.

This has left Govardhan worried, as he lacks any kind of funds. He sold all his properties and exhausted all his savings in his treatment. He has no one to count on for help.

"I was four when this problem started. It was not very severe initially but turned worse as I grew up," he said.

Airing his concern, Govardhan added, "I face difficulty in doing basic things like eating, sleeping, changing clothes, etc. I don't brush my teeth. Few people are scared of me because of my face. This prohibits me from going out a lot."

Govardhan said that he went to Chandigarh for treatment where the doctor told that he would die. He exhausted all his savings and sold his land for treatment but did not succeed.

"I have a daughter who is mentally unstable. I also have a big brother who takes care of me. My wife died," she cried.

He blames God for all his sufferings. He says that he can only look from one eye.


According to Dr. Madhusudan's medical plan, the treatment of this disease is complex which involves,

1. Complete evaluation of the mass by clinical and radiological investigations which gives information regarding amenability for surgical removal.

2. Angiography of the head & neck area to determine the blood vessels supplying the mass. Feasibility to block such feeding vessels (embolization) prior to surgical removal with lesser blood loss.

3. Surgical excision - either single or multiple stages depending on the clinical condition and vascularity in single or multiple admissions.

4. Facial soft tissue Reconstruction - skin and soft tissue reconstructions by single or double microvascular tissue transfer.

5. Jaw reconstruction - vascularized fibular flap from leg with dental rehabilitation later.

6. Orbital/ eye rehabilitation - invariably his right eye ball may require removal requiring reconstruction of eye socket and subsequently rehabilitated with suitable ocular prosthesis.

7. Whole of this management involves multidisciplinary team of plastic surgery, neurosurgery, ENT and interventional radiology, multiple inpatient admissions, complex surgical procedures with back up of huge amounts of blood and blood products for the replenishing for blood loss during excision. There is the necessity of lengthy ICU stay and tracheotomy and use of medications for control of infections affecting his brain and eyes.

8. The overall treatment costs about 75-80 lakhs with stay in the hospital for more than 3-6 months.

"Not everyone is afraid of me. Children come and play with me as well," he said.

He says that he does not want to get treated for himself but for his daughter. He wants to take care of her and get her married.

His mother also wishes for his son to get well soon.

Having exhausted all his resources, the helpless old man is anxiously waiting for benefactors to step in and help her out with their generosity.

To help him cover the cost of the surgery, Milaap, one of India's largest crowdfunding site has set up a page: https://milaap.org/stories/help-govardhan-das-nwsl


plexiform neurofibromatosis