SISTERS BOTH HAVE 1 IN 3.5M DISEASE THAT IS TURNING THEM TO CRYSTAL
Meet the sisters who have both been diagnosed with a one in 3.5-million condition which is slowly turning their bodies to crystal. Three-year-old Emily and her sister Poppy-Mae, 22 months, are among just 2,000 people in the world who have been diagnosed with the devastating disease cystinosis. The incurable condition is a genetic disorder that causes a build-up of the amino-acid cystine in the cells of the body. Over time these compounds crystallise in the cells, forming in the kidneys, the eyes, the thyroid gland and the liver. Without treatment, children with cystinosis are likely to experience complete kidney failure by about age ten. In the past, it was rare for people with cystinosis to survive into adulthood. But while the sisters will most certainly both face kidney transplants in later life, the brave tots are facing their uncertain future together. Mum Jessica Kemp, 25, from Leeds, said: "Basically their bodies are slowly being taken over by the crystals which build up in their cells. "Children with cystinosis don't have the best life expectancies but at least they each know what the other one is going through and they will always have someone around to look after them. "When Poppy-Mae was also diagnosed it was devastating, but now I'm glad in a way that they have each other for comfort."
Other great stories
STUNNING UK LIGHTHOUSES
A photographer has travelled the length of the UK capturing lighthouses and their picturesque surroundings .
CROC VS BAMBI
A BAMBI was dramatically caught in mid-air by a greedy Nile crocodile in a once-in-a-million flying pincer move .
CAMOUFLAGED NORTHERN POTOO BIRD IS A MASTER OF DISGUISE
A northern potoo shows it is a master of disguise as it perches on a tree stump and blends into the bark .
SEXY TRAFFIC GIRLS OF NORTH KOREA
WITH their robotic movements and pristine uniforms, these are the sexy traffic girls of North Korea that are becoming iconic figures in the secretive state .
I LOST 10ST AFTER GIVING UP 1,000 CHOC BAR A YEAR HABIT
A former chocolate addict, who used to gobble more than a THOUSAND bars a year, has shed an astonishing 10st after giving up her favourite treats .
BACKFLIPPING SHARK SOARS DURING SEAL HUNT
Exploding out of the water, a great white shark performs a backflip during a hunt for seals .
ABANDONED OLD CROW COTTAGE
AN OLD ENGLISH cottage packed full of history and valuables has been left to rot .
STRIKING IMAGES RECREATE WORLD WAR II
Primed and ready for action, this collection of striking images from the battlefield could be mistaken for authentic photos taking during World War II .
AMAZINGLY DETAILED PENCIL SCULPTURES
FROM A mini table and chairs to a detailed violin, it’s hard to believe these incredible sculptures are all carved into the nib of PENCILS .
MODEL SPENDS £22K TO TRANSFORM HER ENTIRE BODY
A GLAMOUR model who has spent £22K on cosmetic procedures is hoping that a revolutionary new treatment to give her a designer vagina will end her quest for perfection .
SHARK SELFIES
NOT YOUR everyday selfie, this plucky diver poses with some of the scariest predators in the ocean .
WOMAN REVEALS HER ONE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SUFFERED BURNS TO 22% OF HER BODY AFTER POURING BOILING MAC N’ CHEESE WATER OVER HERSELF
A mum-of-one has revealed how her one-year-old daughter suffered second and third degree burns to 22% of her body after pouring boiling water over herself .