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Half man. Half tree. This is Dede, an ordinary 35-year-old with an extraordinary other world
affliction. Dede has been forced to live all of his adult life with roots branching from
his hands and feet. Sacked from his job, deserted by his wife, this Indonesian lives a life
of poverty and pain with only his parents for help. Dede says his nightmare began when
he cut his knee as a teenager. "First it felt itchy and some warts appeared
on my feet. I neglected it and then growth started appearing quickly, covering my whole
body." But now from afar comes a measure of hope.
A doctor in the United States is offering to attempt a treatment for the horn-like growths
that have ruined Dede's life. Dr. Anthony Gaspari became interested in Dede's case after
he saw a documentary on the Discovery Channel. He now hopes to halt the growing warts, armed
only with a daily dose of Vitamin A. For Dede, it's a small but exciting opportunity to shed
his roots once and for all.