Husband & Wife With Thousands Of Tumours: BORN DIFFERENT

DESPITE being born with Neurofibromatosis that has left 90% of her body covered in tumour ‘bubbles’, a woman has found the love of her life – who just so happens to have the same condition. 58-year-old Gail Appelgren inherited a severe form of Neurofibromatosis (NF) from her mother at birth. Causing tumours to form on nerve tissue, they can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including on your brain and spinal cord – often making the condition life-threatening. Since she was first diagnosed at 12 years old, Gail, who lives in Edmonton, Canada, has received more than 40 surgeries to try and correct the thousands of tumours on her body and counter the skin cancer that has formed as a result. Over the years, Gail has been accused of being contagious and has been banned from public swimming pools because of the way she looks – however, her luck began to change in August 2010 when she met her now husband, Tim Golumbia, a fellow sufferer of the condition. Tim, 55, was born with a more mild form of NF, but understands more than most what it’s like to live with such a visual, and different, appearance. And after just a string of dates, the happy couple found great comfort in one and other and haven’t looked back since.