“Doctors Are Not God”: SA Woman With Rare Skin Condition Defies Childhood Prediction, SA Moved
- Shirvani is one of the oldest surviving people in South Africa living with Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa, a condition that causes skin to blister and tear from the lightest touch
- A school nurse told Shirvani at just 6 years old that she would never marry or have children because of her condition
- South Africans online sent an outpouring of blessings after her story was shared on social media
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Source: Facebook
Shirvani is one of South Africa's oldest known survivors of Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare condition that causes the skin to blister and tear with the slightest friction. Her form of EB is the most severe type, and many people born with it do not survive into adulthood. Growing up with the condition came with more than just physical pain.
A life that defied the odds
At just six years old, a school nurse looked at Shirvani and told her plainly that she would never be able to marry, have children, or live anything resembling a normal life because of her skin. For many, those words might have become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Shirvani had other plans. Today, Shirvani is raising two children alongside her husband, a reality that stands in quiet, powerful contrast to what she was told as a little girl. Her story was shared on 16 August 2026 by the Facebook page Born Different, where it quickly reached thousands of people across the country.
Caring for someone with RDEB
Beyond the medical definition, living with severe RDEB requires an incredible level of daily dedication, as even the gentlest touch or tight clothing can cause painful skin tearing. According to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), routine care revolves around time-consuming wound management, specialised nutrition to support healing, and careful pain prevention to help those living with the condition lead as comfortable and fulfilling a life as possible. Despite this, Shirvani has built a family, a home, and a life that many assumed was out of reach for her.
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See Shirvani's story in the Facebook post below:
Mzansi sends their blessings
South Africans who came across Shirvani's story on Facebook were deeply touched and filled the comments with words of support:
User @Mapalo Soteli said:
"You are blessed."
User @Angelo Arnoldus wrote:
"God bless."
User @Pankaj Shah added:
"My heartfelt prayers for you and your family are cute."
User @Marjorie Evans Vincent shared:
"Bless you and your family ❤️🙏."
User @Angel Parbhoo wrote:
"Stay blessed, darling 🙏."
User @Mamake Glen noted:
"Doctors are not God."
3 Briefly News medical-related articles
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Source: Briefly News
