A Scots doctor has brought sunshine into the lives of two teenagers who suffer from a life-threatening skin condition.
Alice Tyson and Thapelo Mothibe rarely get outside because they are extremely sensitive to sunlight.
But, helped by Dr Paul O’Mahoney of Dundee University, the girls, who had not met before, were whisked off to Norway to finally play outside like normal teenagers.
Alice, from Carlisle, and Thapelo, from South Africa, were chosen to highlight the difficulty of living with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) – a rare genetic condition that makes them extremely sensitive to sunlight.
Their journey was followed by MCC Media for the documentary My Life: Into the Sun, which was aired last night on CBBC.
Scots mum pregnant at 14 admits 'I'd never have forgiven myself if I'd got rid of my baby'
Dr O’Mahoney, an expert in skin diseases, joined the trip to help find the teenagers a safe holiday retreat.
He said: “The girls got to experience dog sledding and hunt for the aurora borealis. It’s not just a documentary about life with XP, it is also a documentary about their friendship.
“It’s easy for us to take for granted our skin so it is great to have been part of such a wonderful documentary.”
Alice, 13, has to wear a visor, gloves and a hat while outdoors, apply skin creams every two hours and has had small cancerous areas of her skin removed.
Pink knicker weirdo dad jailed for flashing in Ann Summers changing room
Describing the project, she said: “I wanted to raise awareness for the condition so people would know why we wear the visors.
“It means people around the UK will know more about it and they can find out more information.”
● My Life: Into the Sun is available on iPlayer.
