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When the movie “Lion’s Mask” with Cher hit theaters in 1985, the fate of a teenager with a face deformed by a rare disease deeply moved viewers. The prototype of the main character, Rocky Dennis, was born with craniofacial dysplasia. This deformity has so far been detected in only a few dozen people around the world. Contrary to the doctors’ predictions, Rocky not only did not die before the age of 7, but also did not lose his eyesight and was able to finish school. Only two months were away for him to celebrate his 17th birthday.
- Cranio-molar dysplasia is one of the extremely rare deformities. The first such case was probably discovered in 1949.
- Since then, only 20 cases of such dysplasia have been confirmed worldwide
- Roy Lee «Rocky» Dennis was born on December 4, 1961. He died on October 4, 1978.
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
The real life and illness of Rocky Dennis. Doctors did not give him a chance
Hollywood productions about the tragic fate of heroes suffering from serious diseases often bend the reality so as to be more touching and tell a more interesting story. In the case of Roy Lee «Rockie» Dennis, such treatments were hardly needed. Almost from the very beginning, this boy’s life resembled the script of a dramatic film.
Rocky was born on December 4, 1961, and there were no indications that he was ill. Only when the boy was two years old, during the X-ray of the skull, the technician noticed anomalies in its structure. From that moment on, the family’s life was turned upside down. After conducting a series of various tests at UCLA Medical Center, the final diagnosis was made: it is craniofibre dysplasia. The disease is so rare that from 1949, when it was probably first discovered, to the 20st century, only XNUMX such cases have been confirmed.
The bridge of his nose didn’t form. This is what happens with many children, his mother said later. But later his head began to grow. Then I was shocked.
Doctors who examined the boy left no illusions to his mother. They said that he would not live to see his 7th birthday, that he would be blind, and that his intellectual abilities would be very limited. Rocky, however, has broken these theories one after the other.
– When he was seven, we went to see an ophthalmologist, I think, who said that he would never see well enough to be able to read. So I handed him the book and he read it – the boy’s mother said. The doctor asked Rockie how he did it, and he simply replied, “I don’t believe I’m blind.”
When the management of the school which Rocky attended insisted on his transfer to a specialist institution (due to the boy’s unusual appearance), his mother gave them a real hell. The sick boy did not have to change class. Eventually he managed to finish school. As his mother later said, he was also very well-liked – most of all for his sense of humor.
Rocky died shortly before his 17 families, 10 years beyond his medical limit.
The rest of the article is available under the video.
Cranio-molar dysplasia. What kind of illness is that?
Cranio-molar dysplasia is a genetic disorder that leads to deformation of the bones of the skull and long bones (e.g. the femur, tibia or humerus). Exactly what genes cause this disorder has yet to be determined.
The most basic symptom of the disease is hyperostosis, leading to a permanent deformation of the skull. The shape of the nose changes and becomes flatter in the patient. Facial features are also deformed (the distance between the eye sockets increases) and the auditory canal is deformed. The circumference of the head of a person suffering from craniocortical dysplasia also grows. As the disease progresses, the openings of the skull are closed with bone tissue, leading to gradual destruction of the optic or vestibulocochlear nerves (which leads to loss of hearing and vision).
The patient may also experience paralysis of all limbs, epilepsy and mental retardation.
Cranio-molar dysplasia is an incurable disease. Therapy only covers the relief of symptoms resulting from hyperostosis. At best, they are eliminated, at worst, simply slow down the progression of the disease.