By his early twenties, Abul Bajandar of Bangladesh already had a wife, a job as a rickshaw driver, and a debilitating and rare medical condition that was slowly turning his hands into tree branch-like stumps. By the age of 25, the painful disease prevented him from working, feeding himself, and hugging his own daughter. 

Bajandar's family sought medical help, but could not find doctors who knew what his disease was, much less afford treatment. So, one day, when they saw a news crew covering a local election, they introduced themselves. Although the crew initially thought they were asking for money, they quickly realized Bajandar's disease was unlike anything they had ever seen. Coverage exposing the man's tree-like hands resulted in donations and surgeons from all over the world offering to treat the man.

Doctors diagnosed him ultimately with epidermodysplasia verruciformis, which only four people in the world are known to have, a disease which makes people highly susceptible to human papillomavirus and skin tumors. Now, after sixteen surgeries, Bajandar can finally feed himself and hold his daughter. 

Bajandar spoke about regaining the use of his hands, saying:

While he awaits a few more procedures for "beautification," doctors think he may be the first person to be cured of the disease. Although, there is also a chance the growths will return. 

If you have any words of encouragement for the Bajandar family or any thoughts on their story, feel free to post them in the comments below, and share with your friends to see what they think!