The Girl Who Lives In The Dark

Happened to switch over the weekend morning screening of the TV channel programmed entitled 'The girl who lives in the dark”. It is a sad touching story of a nine year old girl by the name Wan Lao Yang who lives in the remote southern part of China (she seems to belong to a minority group) who contracted a rare form of skin cancer that left her severely disfigured.

She yearn to go schooling like other children but unable to do so due to her medical condition. The teachers had to turn her away from attending classes due to her deteriorating health. The tumors on her face grew quickly, blood, puss and tissue decay affected her vision badly.

There is no cure for this genetic skin disease. The disease is caused by the inability of the body system to repair DNA damaged caused by the Sun's ray (UV rays). The unfortunate girl has to spend most of her time in the debilitated cold dark shelter of her home to avoid exposure to sunlight.

The parents are peasants who could not afford expensive medical treatment. Doctors in her remote area told her parents the disease is hard to treat and turn them away. A local tourist guide came to know about her plight, took pictures and photographs of her disfigured face and posted them on the Internet in attempt to seek help from the public.

By chance a UK child skin specialist by the name of Dr Atherton got to know about it through the Internet and got in touch with Shanghai skin cancer specialists who then help to arrange a medical visit. Together with the Shanghai medical team, Dr Atherton applied one week leave to travel all the way to China. It was a long flight from UK to Shanghai .The journey from Shanghai to the remote village took another 2 days. Apparently the villagers got to know about the incoming visit and extended a warm welcome visit to the medical team.

When Dr Atherton first saw the seriousness condition of the girl, he wept. Due to the advance staged of the skin cancer, urgent arrangement was made to send the little girl to Shanghai for medical treatment. As the first course of treatment, Dr Atherton created a special UV face protection mask for the child. A week after the visit, both the girl and her father traveled to Shanghai for the first time together with Dr Atherton. The entire village people are glad that finally the unfortunate girl has fighting chance to recover from the dreaded disease and see the light of the day.

It was the first time both child and father took to the air and Lao Yang was very excited throughout the journey. Phone call was arrange so that Lao Yang's other siblings and mother could talk to her when she reach Shanghai. Being the good girl, Lao Yang reminded her other siblings to be good to their mother. She also told her siblings how she felt she was like walking on cottons during the flight.

Doctors in Shanghai were shocked at the condition of the girl. The operation to remove the tumor went successfully despite the complex surgery. In fact it is the most complicated operation ever been undertaken by the Shanghai medical team. 8 weeks after the surgery Lao Yang went home, much to the delight of the villagers and her siblings and parent. Special UV protection filter were put up in Lao Yang's class. Students and teachers were delighted that the little girl finally able to go back to attend school lessons.


Prosthetic surgery arrangement were made to address the scar and disfigurement caused by the tumor. The expensive medical costs were borne by various contributors and the Shanghai hospital. Unfortunately bad news soon follow suit.

Doctors in Shanghai hospital that operated on her discovered that the cancer has spread to her lungs. During an interview Dr Atherton mentioned he was putting his finger crossed and hoping that the cancer would not spread. Lao Yang did not make it pass her next birthday.

Lao Yang's struggle against this form of rare genetic disorder by the name 'Xeroderma Pigmentosum' is well documented and aired wordwide. It is important to note that the documentary is not just about advanced cutting edge medical science & technology.

Beneath all the treatment lies the human touch. The tour guide, doctors, in particular Dr Atherton and the Shanghai medical teams who offered their time , waiver of the medical expenses and attempt to give her a better life is what makes life meaningful and memorable.

Lao Yang is gone but she did not suffer and die in vain. Tissues samples from the Lao Yang's tumor are preserved in various medical research centers. Perhaps someday with the availability of the tumor samples, advancement and genetic engineering medical breakthrough could provide a cure for it once and for all.

Reference: Rare Genetic Skin Disorder - Cancer