With the wrinkled hands, and face of an elderly woman Rochelle Pondare looks as if she has lived a long life. But Rochelle, who has just turned eighteen, has a condition that makes her age prematurely. The teenager was diagnosed with Progeria when she was five years old. Her situation echos that of Hayley Okines who died in April aged 17 after being told she would never live past the age of 13 after after being diagnosed Progeria, which left her with a 104-year-old's body.
Just 100 children around the world have the condition and often do not live beyond their early teens. But to help her she wears fashionable bandannas and wigs while working on her family's market stall, or going out with friends. Progeria is caused by a genetic mutation which causes the cells of a patient's body to malfunction, effecting the tissues and organs, and causing children to age dramatically.
Rochelle has been told her physical age might be close to 144. But Rochelle is defying the odds, and is already one of the oldest progeria patients in the world. Like all teenagers she loves pop music, fashion and hanging out with boys, and has a close friendship with a boy from school. She said: "I'm always with boys, I'm friendly with boys rather than girls.
I like boys better because they protect me when we go out.
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