Wang Cheng, a 24 year-old Chinese girl found with giant legs. She often referred to as ‘Elephant Legs’. It is a rare medical disease called elephantiasis. It has caused her legs to swell nearly three times their normal size. Wang has suffered from the since the age of 6 and currently cannot even wear pants because of the pain it causes her 110 pound legs.
“I cannot go out to work. Nor can I wear trousers as normal people.” Wang said while sitting in her bed at Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital waiting for an upcoming operation.
Living with a paralyzed father and an unemployed mother in China, Wang was given a blessing when she was offered an opportunity to receive free surgery that would cut away some of the lymphatic tissue in her legs.
Hsu Wen-hsien, a senior doctor who will lead the operation on Monday, indicated that he had never seen such a sever case in all his 30 years experience.
The operation is expected to reduce Wang’s leg size by about 35% initially, and up to 50% after about 2 months of rehabilitation.
Taiwanese Buddhist group Fo Kuang Shan is paying for the travel expenses to Taiwan and non-medical expenses while the 10-hour operation and related care, estimated at $17,600, is being provided free by the hospital.
Elephantiasis, or lymphatic filariasis, is often transmitted by mosquitoes.
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