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By Jack Beresford and Oliver Bromley
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"From an early age, I understood that I looked different from most other people.
I was born with a condition called neurofibromatosis type 1. It's a genetic condition characterized by the growth of tumors.
My body lacks a substance called neurofibromin, which means it can't regulate tumor growth the way most people's bodies can, so I have tumors all over my body.
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Humans are humans, and people stare. I don't think it's malicious, just curiosity. For the most part, my condition was something people I came into contact with navigated around. It wasn't discussed.
Then, one day in 2024, I was eating at a restaurant in London, near a hospital where I was receiving treatment at the time, when a member of staff asked me to leave.
"You are scaring the customers. There have been complaints."
I was stunned. I didn't understand what was happening.
I was born with neurofibromatosis, which I inherited from my father, in South Africa. My brother and I both have it. I was born with a very small eye, a very different eye, because of one specific tumor. Throughout my life, as I grew up and went through adolescence, the issues with that eye became more pronounced.
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Children at school looked at me differently. I remember being called names like "Cyclops." I remember wishing I could take my shirt off to sunbathe and swim like the other children, but my body is covered in these growths. It was a source of discomfort and embarrassment for me.
But my parents and family helped make up for the unkindness of the world around me. My grandmother would always lift me up when I was feeling down. She'd say to me, "Every morning, you should wake up, look in the mirror, and know who you are."
So I learned resilience at a young age. You can never underestimate the power of a supportive, loving family.
As I moved into adulthood, my skin started to change. The tumors became more pronounced. As I got older, it became more noticeable that not only did I have an eye that was different, but I also had tumors on my skin. I became increasingly aware of that. I've also got a curvature of the spine, so, sometimes, I get referred to as a "hunchback."
But I'd taught myself not to care what other people thought. What other people think about you is not your business. All I could focus on was knowing who I am and continuing to move forward. I live my life by a four-part philosophy: you need something to do, something to look forward to, something to believe in, and something to love.
I work for the National Health Service in the U.K. on a mental health crisis line, and, in recent years, I've become involved in patient advocacy work. I talk to medical students about what it's like to live with a condition because I'm trying to encourage doctors to see beyond a diagnosis and see the person behind it. When patients walk into a consultation room, they deserve to be seen as people, not just diagnoses.
My Christian faith has also always been a source of strength and comfort. It was through the church that I met my wife, Bridget, in 2007.
We just clicked. We had the same sense of humor. We met in London but reunited in South Africa. We were married there before returning to the U.K. in 2015. She loves me for who I am. Now we live outside London, with my mother nearby, and look forward to weekends together, going for walks, taking short trips, and seeing friends.
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School could be difficult when you looked different, and I didn't have many friends growing up. Now things are different. I have friends who accept me for who I am. We never needed to talk about my condition.
That began to change after the restaurant incident. I spoke with my wife about how best to respond after being asked to leave. We never went to the media. Instead, I reported it as a non-crime hate incident, which was something you could do at the time.
The police investigated, and somehow the story took on a life of its own. The media picked it up, and I found myself being interviewed by Sky News and the BBC.
I was able to tell my story. To this day, I still receive messages from people all over the world standing in solidarity with me. It was an amazing experience. I found my voice, and it was life-affirming.
I thought to myself, "Oh, I can actually do something. I've got a voice. I can stand up for people who cannot."
Others came forward with their own stories of living with visible differences. Charities that support people with conditions affecting their appearance reached out. It was wonderful. Since then, I've expanded my presence on social media, where I've been able to educate others, debunk myths, and offer support to anyone who might be struggling. A lot of good came from that one bad day.
My condition will continue to change. People with neurofibromatosis can develop blood pressure problems. Although I'm expected to live close to a normal life span, the tumors can continue to grow.
That's the challenge. The tumors can cause bone deformities and spinal curvature. We still don't know exactly what the future holds, and we're no closer to finding a cure.
Everybody who has neurofibromatosis experiences it differently. I always knew I had this plexiform neurofibroma affecting my right eye. To preserve the eye, surgeons repeatedly debulked the tumor, but it kept growing back. About three years ago, the eye was no longer viable, so they removed it completely. Once they had removed the eye, they were also able to remove the entire tumor.
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That plexiform neurofibroma had eroded the entire right side of my skull. In 2022, I underwent major brain surgery to remove the tumor and reconstruct my skull. They implanted a custom plastic section of skull, which gave me more symmetry.
I spent the next two years in and out of King's College Hospital because of complications, including cerebrospinal fluid leaks. There were numerous corrective procedures, many trips back to the operating room, and repeated surgeries to repair and refit the skull implant.
I was scared. Of course, you get nervous on the days you're being wheeled into brain surgery, and I've had about seven of them. In those moments, I always think of my dad. He passed away a few years ago. He believed in taking one day at a time, not being overly anxious about tomorrow, focusing your energy on today, and not exhausting your peace by worrying about what hasn't happened yet.
The encounter at the restaurant actually came during one of those hospital visits. It changed everything. The only way I've been able to make sense of what I've gone through is by telling my story and sharing it with others. That's been hugely empowering, and it's given me a tremendous boost in confidence.
The story I share is about visible differences, but, underneath, we are all the same. Each of us is struggling with something in one way or another. More than anything else, I think it's important to fill this world with love and kindness because you never know what battles other people are facing."
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Oliver Bromley was born and grew up in South Africa but now lives just outside London with his wife, Bridget. He works for the NHS and regularly talks about neurofibromatosis, Visible Differences and the importance of being kind on his TikTok page @oliverbromleyfromtv.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Marc Vargas and James Debens
There are numerous multidisciplinary medical centers dedicated to the care of children and adults with neurofibromatosis, such as the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center, Mass General Brigham Neurofibromatosis Program, and clinics coordinated via the Neurofibromatosis Network.
Oliver Bromley was born and grew up in South Africa but now lives just outside London with his wife Bridget. He works for the NHS and regularly talks about Neurofibromatosis, Visible Differences and the importance of being kind on his TikTok page @oliverbromleyfromtv.
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