A SYRIAN refugee born with a one-in-a-million condition that causes his bones to grow at an excessive rate has told how resettling in Glasgow has transformed his life. Yaman Al-ayad was just 10-years-old when his parents took the tough decision to flee the war-torn country and seek expert medical advice that could help their son build a better future. After being granted asylum, Yaman, who suffers from Osteochondroma, a painful illness that causes tumours to form on the cartilage causing his bones to overgrow, spent much of this childhood here in hospital, undergoing 15 operations and learning to walk again.
Yaman is loving life in Glasgow (Image: Gordon Terris) He exclusively told the Glasgow Times: “I remember saying goodbye to friends and family in Syria and feeling really sad because I had no idea if I would ever see them again. It wasn’t safe for my parents to stay there but they knew I needed specialist, expert, care. “Arriving in a new country was a surreal experience.
I had to learn a new language, but I was determined to do everything I could to help my family settle into a new life. I remember spending so much time in hospital and not really understanding what was going on, so I knew I had to improve my education and soon got to grips with the language and what lay ahead. “I was just so grateful to receive the expert care I needed and the doctors here were amazing.
I felt incredibly fortunate and that’s when I decided that I wanted to give something back t.
