Life-changing London operation for Ghanaian tumour girl

A desperate African schoolgirl has been saved by kind-hearted doctors after they removed a rugby ball sized tumour which covered more than half her face. Grateful Regina Addae, 13, was born with a normal face but at two weeks old her parents noticed a swelling on her left cheek which ”grew and grew and grew”. The huge tumour – which weighed 1.5lbs – hung over her left eye, causing it to weep at least 50ml of blood every day – leaving the teen dangerously anaemic. If left untreated, Regina would have slowly died of suffocation from the tumour as it compressed her airways in her nose and mouth.

Regina was also dangerously close to death as the growth compressed her brain – and would have eroded one of the main arteries, killing her instantly. Her parents desperately searched for treatment from when she was three years old – but were repeatedly turned down as the operation was too high risk and costly. But this year, well-wishers finally managed to raise the £30,000 needed for the operation and found a consultant surgeon willing to undertake the delicate procedure for free.



A dedicated team of surgeons and consultants undertook the delicate 10 hour operation on November 5 at The London Hospital in Whitechapel – removing the tumour in six fist-sized lumps. Maxillofacial Surgeon Abigail Boys, 29, of Barts and The London NHS Trust and the Willing and Abel charity said the operation had saved the life of the keen schoolgirl. She said: ”People would stop and stare at her and treat her as if she was less than human. Some thought it was a curse from the devil. It would have been fatal if she hadn’t had it treated. She was losing blood every single day from her eye and that could have slowly killed her.

”The tumour was growing into her brain and it would have killed her when it eroded her internal carotid artery, which is one of the main arteries in the brain. It would have been very sudden. It has been amazing to watch her throughout this whole process, she is such a strong character who knows exactly what she wants. Regina will never have a perfect face but this operation has meant that she will have life, which is incredible.”

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