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Girl, 18, has body of a 144-year-old

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​Is this the curious case of Benjamin Button? A Filipino girl just turned 18 - but she has the body of a woman aged 144.

Ana Rochelle Pondare suffers from a rare and fatal genetic condition that causes her body to age 10 times faster than normal.

People who suffer from this condition, known as progeria, are not expected to live beyond 14 years of age. 

So it's only right for Pondare to celebrate her 18th birthday with a huge party, that includes princess-themed dresses and an enormous throne.

Just four years go, when Pondare was 14, she said: "I'm not a complete girl

"The doctors said that I'm aging too fast and my life here on earth is quick, after 15 years, I'll be gone," she said.

Well, thankfully, Pondare has lived well-past her prognosis. She managed to live beyond what was expected of her due to a special diet and creams for her skin.

And this was celebrated by friends and family.

Even a popular celebrity was there to witness this momentous occasion.

One of Pondare's birthday wishes was to meet her idol, Sarah Geronimo, a Filipino singer, actress and television personality.

The two even snapped a selfie. Geronimo thanked Pondare for "providing joy and hope". 

According to the Progeria Research Foundation, there are currently 80 children in the world who suffer from the condition, with two of them in the Philippines.

Source: Daily Mail
 

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