Her skin keeps growing — caring for her takes a village

By CNA Insider

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For ten-year-old Zoe Ng, bath time can take up to two hours. Her skin grows and sheds so quickly that it needs to be removed regularly, or it could harden, crack and bleed. Zoe was born with Harlequin ichthyosis, a rare skin condition that caused her to lose her fingers at birth when thick skin restricted blood flow. But that hasn’t stopped Zoe from doing things on her own, from writing to rollerblading. Her father, Samuel Ng, is a single dad. While he's at work, Zoe's grandmother takes care of her, even accompanying her to school to help with her eye drops and skincare. But when Grandma developed leg pain, Zoe's teachers stepped in to share the responsibility. One even volunteered to remain her form teacher so she could continue looking after her. Despite the demands of caring for Zoe, Samuel says the past nine years haven't felt particularly difficult. He credits the people who've supported their family along the way. "She's surrounded by many angels," he says. Watch the full By

Tags: CNA Insider, Channel NewsAsia, People stories, Asian perspectives