Fatima Perez
USAFatima Perez: A Life in Darkness
Fatima Perez, a 54-year-old Dominican-American, lives with a rare condition that makes her extremely sensitive to sunlight. Suffering from Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), Perez's skin burns with the slightest exposure to UV rays.
Early Life and Diagnosis
Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Perez spent 23 years hiding from the sun. Around the age of 20, she developed severe sunburn, losing almost all her hair and sight. After her brother passed away from the same condition, Perez moved to the United States for better medical care.
Living with XP
Perez must apply sunscreen every two hours, even indoors in her Waterford, Connecticut home where the sun can be relentless for 15 hours a day. When she does venture out, she wears a 4-pound protective suit. "I use a poncho made with two layers of the heaviest denim I could find that goes down to my knees," she says. "Attached to it is a hood that covers most of my face."
Health Risks
XP has led to frequent skin cancers for Perez. "I have had hundreds of lesions removed from my body," she explains. Tumors have been removed from one of her legs nine times. Perez also faces risks from fluorescent and halogen lights that do not meet UV restrictions, sometimes absentmindedly standing beneath them before realizing her skin is burning.
Medical Condition
XP occurs when a cell's DNA becomes damaged and cannot repair itself after exposure to UV radiation. This can lead to both non-cancerous and malignant skin cancers. Treatment options for XP are limited to avoiding UV exposure, regular checkups, and prompt removal of cancerous tissue.
