A mum-of-three has a tumour bigger than a watermelon growing on her chin – which she originally passed off as toothache when she was just 13.
Belinda Austria, 42, began suffering with pain in her lower jaw when she was a teenager but assumed it was just problems with new teeth growing.
She finally went to the doctors when she was 19 after her gums had swollen.
But medics in the Philippines then dismissed the growth as an abyss.
Belinda had the "unbearable" growth removed in 1997 several months after giving birth to her first child, but years later and after having her third child, it returned.
It is growing rapidly but her family are unable to afford treatment.
The housewife now has to haul the heavy tumour around with her and cover her face with a scarf every time she leaves home to prevent people from stopping and staring.
She said: "I’ve been suffering with this tumour for so long, but I’m not able to go back to the hospital because we have no money.
"I wish I could go back to work, but I easily get tired. This tumour is heavy aside from being painful.
"After having the tumour, my life became limited, I can’t do what I want. A lot of people stare at me when I go outside.
"Sometimes I’ll get laughed at because of my appearance so I just I hide it with a scarf. I just let them so I can continue with my life."
Belinda and her husband Carlos, a farm worker, sold their possessions and paid the equivalent of £1,500 for the operation in 1997.
But the family are unable to afford to send Belinda for more treatment, and the country’s government does not cover medical costs.
Belinda and her children Jonalyn, 22, Joanne, 20 and Julius, 11, are scraping together what they can, but fear that the growth will kill her before they have enough to pay the bill, believed to be at least £2,300.
Daughter Joanne said: "It all started with a toothache.
"My mother’s molar was swollen affecting half of her face, which was removed back in 1997 when it became unbearable. But it came back in 2003 and it’s worse than before.
"We’ll do everything we can to keep saving to help my mother, even if we have to work every hour of the day."
Belinda added: "My dream is to get treated so I can help my husband earn a living.
"I want to send my children to school. I hope to get well soon for my family."
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