The woman in the photo is Mandy Sellars, otherwise known as 'the woman with giant legs' and she has Proteus Syndrome. But what is the Proteus Syndrome? What is the cause of such deformity? Is there a cure and, forgive me for asking but the paranoid in me just had to, is this 'disease' contagious? I'm sure that same questions are in most everyone's mind for this is an unfamiliar condition. It's the first time I have seen such deformity in another person and I just can't imagine the pain, both physical and emotional, sufferers of this condition have to endure.

A quick check at Wikipedia reveals the following information about the disease: Proteus syndrome is a congenital disorder that causes skin overgrowth and
atypical bone development, often accompanied by tumors over half the body. Proteus syndrome is named after the Greek sea-god Proteus, who could change his shape. First identified in 1979 by Dr. Michael Cohen, only more than 200 cases have been confirmed worldwide.

Proteus syndrome causes an overgrowth of skin, bones, muscles, fatty tissues, and blood and lymphatic vessels.

Proteus syndrome is a progressive condition, wherein children are usually born without any obvious deformities. As they age, tumors as well as skin and bone growths appear. The severity and locations of these various asymmetrical growths vary greatly but typically the skull, one or more limbs and soles of the feet will be affected. There is a risk of premature death in affected individuals due to deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism caused by the vessel malformations that are associated with this disorder. Further risks may occur due to the mass of extra tissue - Merrick himself died when the weight of his head dislocated his neck while asleep.

The disorder itself does not directly cause learning impairments: the distribution of intelligence among sufferers of Proteus syndrome mirrors that of the general population. However, the growths may cause secondary damage to the nervous system leading to cognitive disability. In addition, the presence of visible deformity may have a negative effect on the social experiences of the sufferer, causing cognitive and social deficits.

Afflicted individuals are at increased risk for developing certain tumors including unilateral ovarian cystadenomas, testicular tumors, meningiomas and monomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland.

Researchers are still trying to determine the cause of Proteus Syndrome and a cure is yet to be discovered although a team of doctors in Australia have tested a drug called Rapamycin and have found it to be an effective remedy.

One case that captured the world's interest in the Proteus Syndrome was the "Elephant Man", a film that garnered several Oscar nominations in the 80s. It is the story of the life and struggles of Joseph Merrick as he tried to cope with his condition and the public ridicule it brought. Hopefully, researchers will soon find a cure for this condition.

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Proteus Syndrome: Mandy Sellars, the woman with giant legs

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