A boy who with a rare skin condition, who first appeared on This Morning with his parents as a baby, returned to the show today to reveal how he’s defied the odds to walk, play sports and become a high achiever at school.
Mason White, 10, from Bournemouth suffers from Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) a rare disorder that causes extremely fragile skin that develops painful blisters under friction and trauma.
During his first appearance on the show when he was 20-months-old, Mason’s mum Kerry expressed her fears for her son’s future.
However, Eamonn delivered some good news on today’s episode when he introduced Mason as a young boy who has not only defied the odds to walk and play sports, but is also the top of his class at school.
Mason made his first appearance on This Morning at the age of 20 months when his parents spoke about Epidermolysis bullosa on the show
10 years on, Mason has defied the odds by walking and playing sports
As the host asked whether he was determined to not let EB stop him from doing what he wanted, Mason nodded before replying: ‘I do everything in PE really, and they try and adapt it for me.’
Sitting on the sofa with plasters covering his hands, Mason explained that the blisters covering his body are ‘sore’ and that his entire body from the neck down has to be covered up with plasters.
During the interview, Mason’s mum Kerry spoke about the impact EB has had on her son’s life.
‘As a parent you want to take the pain away from your child but you’re helpless because it’s there.
Mason’s mum Kerry spoke about Mason’s routine which includes spending hours applying plasters to protect his skin
This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes introduced 10 year old Mason White on the show ten years after his first appearance
‘You live with EB, you can’t take it away. All you can do is make their life as comfortable as possible, look after them as well as you can, provide memories and give them a life that he deserves.’
Asked about where she finds the strength to watch her son suffer, Kerry added: ‘I see his dad pop blisters and cut bits of skin off his body three to four hours every day in the medical room and you’ve got to stay strong.
‘You can’t cry. You need to stay strong. If you’re not strong, then what is that doing to your child?’
On the subject of Mason’s daily routine, Kerry explained that the family can spend hours making sure his skin is protected.
‘Mason’s life is routine. It has to be. His dad gets him up before school and he has half an hour to an hour’s worth of dressing done. In the summer it’s a lot more because of the heat.
‘And then when he gets home from school at 4.30, we’re in the medical room two to three hours every night.
‘He’s used to it now. He doesn’t know any different. It is hard because he can’t do what other normal children do.’
Kerry went on to explain how there are different types of EB and Mason’s condition means he has to be fed through a tube.
‘It’s internal and external. His esophagus is blistered. He re-fluxes and any acid will blister his esophagus so he’s now fed through a tube in his tummy.
‘He has had a safe swallow test and he’s able to eat tiny little amounts but nothing that makes a difference to his weight.’
Before the interview came to an end, Eamonn and Rochelle welcomed Pride of Britain award winner Mo Younis, who also suffers from EB, on to the show.
The 20-year-old, who has been praised for campaigning to raise awareness about EB, explained why he is so resilient and positive.
‘It has to be done because if you get up every day crying and you’re down every day it’s just going to male it worse.
‘If you go out every day with a smile on your face, you motivate others that they’re not alone with any problems they’ve got.’
During the interview, Mason revealed that he enjoys football and boxing
Pride of Britain award winner Mo Younis, who also suffers from EB, made an appearance and spoke about the importance of being positive