A beautiful young woman who posted before and after photographs on social media showing her face grossly deformed by bone cancer has hit back at sceptics who suggested the photos were altered to draw sympathy.
Rattanaporn Kalayasai, who posted them on her Facebook page Jenie Yoo, uploaded a video clip explaining that she actually suffers from bone cancer (osteosarcoma), which has deformed the left side of her face.
The disease was first detected when she sought treatment for toothache in November 2015 while in South Korea, Ms Rattanaporn said.
She returned to Thailand and was treated at a hospital in Sakhon Nakhon. The treatment included chemotherapy, to reduce the size of the tumour, before surgery. However, she decided not to have surgery to avoid her eye being removed, because she still hoped to be able to work to provide for her daughter and family.
Instead, she had relied on alternative treatment, using several types of herbal medicines, and tried to keep herself fit. However, she cannot see clearly from her left eye and is unable to breathe properly through her nose.
"The most important thing is I get moral support from people who love me and my family. I hope to live and spend time with them as long as I can. I will keep fighting," Ms Rattanaporn said in her Facebook post.
She asked the public to understand that she is not trying to deceive anyone, and thanked all the well-wishers who sent her moral and financial support.
A video clip uploaded on YouLike Clip Ded on Tuesday.