Latest news with #AmitGhose
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man claims cafe refused to serve him and looked like they'd 'seen a ghost' because of his facial tumours
A man with a facial disfigurement says he was refused service in a cafe after customers stared at him like they had 'seen a ghost'. Amit Ghose has a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 1 which causes benign tumours to grow on his nerves. The 35-year-old was visiting his sister Shilu Sen in Wood Green, London, last month when they went out for a coffee. When he entered a cafe he says he noticed people were looking at him 'like they'd seen a ghost'. As Amit ordered a drink, he says he was told by staff that they were 'no longer serving'. Amit, an author and motivational speaker, said: 'We as people with visible differences face this discrimination time and time again. 'I went into this coffee shop and it was full people, mainly men, and they were all just staring at me, like they'd seen a ghost. 'The barista told me they weren't serving anymore, and then just turned and walked away. 'It was not a good feeling obviously - I felt neglected. 'It's not very inclusive, it's not acceptable to be subjected to that kind of behaviour. 'I was disheartened walking out that coffee shop. But I went to another one an hour later and they were really lovely.' Amit, from Birmingham, was born with the rare genetic condition that affects approximately one in 2,500 to 3,000 people worldwide. At the age of 11, Amit had his left eye surgically removed which led to him wearing an eye patch for six months while his prosthetic eye was built. Despite his disability, Amit gives talks in schools about his condition and has written a children's book called 'Born Different.' He said: 'A kid once said to me: "You don't need a Halloween mask, you've got one for life." 'That comment absolutely broke me, I still think about it every Halloween.' At the age of 11, Amit had his left eye surgically removed which led to him wearing an eye patch for six months while his prosthetic eye was built After learning to 'accept' his facial difference and with the support of his wife Piyali, 28, Amit started sharing his story online to help others. He has gained 300,000 followers across his social media platforms over the past two years, and even quit his job as a regional manager at a law firm to pursue a career as a motivational speaker, content creator. and a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Business Partner. Amit added: 'People with visible differences are human beings. 'I want to help other people find validation and security in themselves.' FACT BOX TITLE Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic condition where tumours grow on the nerves and skin. NF1 is a lifelong condition that usually gets worse over time. It is caused by an altered gene and ometimes the altered gene is passed on to a child by one of their parents (inherited). But sometimes a child can be born with NF1 even if their parents do not have the altered gene. If you have NF1, there's a 1 in 2 (50%) chance of passing the affected gene on to any children you have. There's currently no cure, but treatment can help manage the symptoms. Symptoms of NF1 can include: Light brown patches of skin (café-au-lait spots) – these may be harder to see on brown and black skin Freckles in your armpits or around the tops of your legs lumps on or just under your skin (neurofibromas) that can be painful or itchy – these tend to appear during the teenage years or early 20s Yellow-brown raised dots on the coloured part of your eye (iris) that do not usually affect vision Eye problems, such as a squint, reduced vision, or a bulging eye (which can sometimes cause further symptoms like headaches or feeling and being sick) A large head and below average height Learning difficulties
Metro
19-05-2025
- Health
- Metro
Man claims cafe staff refused to serve him due to face tumours
A man with a rare genetic condition has said he was refused service in a cafe after customers stared at him like he was a 'ghost'. 35-year-old Amit Ghose has Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a condition which causes benign tumours to grow on his nerves. Last month, Amit had been visiting his sister Shilu Sen in Wood Green, London, when they went out for a coffee. When he entered a cafe, he says he noticed people were looking at him 'like they'd seen a ghost'. As Amit ordered a drink, he said he was told by the staff that they were 'no longer serving.' 'I went into this coffee shop and it was full of people, mainly men, and they were all just staring at me, like they'd seen a ghost,' he said. 'I went into this coffee shop and it was full of people, mainly men, and they were all just staring at me, like they'd seen a ghost. The barista told me they weren't serving anymore and then just turned and walked away. He added: 'It was not a good feeling, obviously – I felt neglected. It's not very inclusive, it's not acceptable to be subjected to that kind of behaviour.' Amit said he felt disheartened walking out of the shop, but later went to a separate shop, where the staff were 'lovely'. 'It's not all doom and gloom in the world, but it does happen,' he said. Amit, from Birmingham, was born with the rare genetic condition that affects approximately one in 2,500 to 3,000 people worldwide. At the age of 11, his left eye was surgically removed, which led him to wear an eye patch for six months while his prosthetic eye was built. Despite his disability, Amit gives talks in schools about his condition and has written a children's book called 'Born Different'. He said: 'A kid once said to me: 'You don't need a Halloween mask, you've got one for life.' That comment absolutely broke me, I still think about it every Halloween.' After learning to 'accept' his facial difference and with the support of his wife, Piyali, 28, Amit started sharing his story online to help others. He has gained 300,000 followers across his social media platforms over the past two years, and even quit his job as a regional manager at a law firm to pursue a career as a motivational speaker, content creator, and a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Business Partner. 'People with visible differences are human beings. I want to help other people find validation and security in themselves,' he said. According to the NHS, NF1 is a condition people are born with, but symptoms can develop gradually over many years. The tumours are usually non-cancerous and benign, but can cause symptoms including neurofibromas, birthmarks, freckles in unusual places, or problems with bones, eyes and the nervous system. NF1 is caused by a faulty gene, and there's a 1 in 2 chance a child will develop NF1 if either the mother or father has it. There's currently no cure for the condition, but treatment can involve surgery, medicine to control secondary conditions, physiotherapy and pain management. Around 1 in 3,000 people have the condition, but Charmaine's case is extreme. If you or someone you know is affected by Neurofibromatosis visit for support and further information In 2022, another London cafe defended its decision to effectively bar a blind man with learning disabilities as his guide dog was 'too large and fluffy'. More Trending Staff at the Star Cafe in Sidcup, south-east London, repeatedly turned away Stephen Vallance, 44, his mum Ann and his Alsatian-Labrador cross, Wills, who is neither particularly large nor fluffy. He was told to either sit outside in the cold or leave, despite laws banning businesses from discriminating against guide dog owners. The charity Guide Dogs UK slammed the cafe's 'illegal' actions as 'unacceptable' and 'extremely disappointing'. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man, 26, dies after being stabbed during 'altercation' in north west London MORE: 'Knee knockers' are clogging the London Tube network and commuters are furious MORE: Restaurant tipping rules are quietly changing — and service charges could rise to 20%
News18
18-05-2025
- Health
- News18
‘Made Me Feel Like Ghost': Indian-Origin Man Claims London Cafe Refused Him Service Because Of His Face
A 35-year-old Indian-origin man in Birmingham, Amit Ghose, alleges he was refused service at a London cafe because of his appearance. Ghose has a rare genetic condition that causes facial disfigurement. According to a BBC report, Ghose described the experience as distressing, saying that everyone in the cafe was staring at him, making him feel like a 'ghost".
NDTV
18-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Indian-Origin Man Claims London Cafe Refused Him Service Because Of His Face: "Everyone Was Staring At Me"
A 35-year-old man of Indian-origin who resides in Birmingham has claimed that he was denied service at a London cafe due to his appearance. Notably, Amit Ghose has a rare genetic condition causing facial disfigurement. According to a BBC report, he described the experience as distressing, saying that everyone in the cafe was staring at him, making him feel like a "ghost". "The person serving looked at me and said: 'Oh, we're not serving any more'. She turned around and walked off. But clearly, clearly they were still serving," Mr Ghose told the BBC. Mr Ghose was born with Neurofibromatosis type 1, a condition causing non-cancerous tumours to grow along nerves. After embracing his facial disfigurement, he now visits schools to share his inspiring story, encouraging children to embrace their unique identities. Another recent encounter with abuse motivated him to self-publish a children's book, Born Different. "I had a couple of individuals come over to me in a park and ask me what happened to my face, and I thought they were just being curious. But actually they started laughing, giggling, saying: 'Oh my God, if I had a face like you I wouldn't even come out of my house'." Mr Ghose underwent surgery to remove his left eye at 11, resulting in facial disfigurement. He faced relentless bullying and abuse, including a hurtful comment from a classmate before Halloween that left a lasting impact. The remark made him struggle with self-acceptance, leading him to hide his face and feel uncomfortable showing it to others for a long time. Playing cricket at school became a turning point for Mr Ghose, allowing him to connect with others and build friendships. Through the sport, he was able to redefine himself, shifting focus from his appearance to his skills and passion for the game. As an adult, he continued to face intrusive reactions to his appearance, including constant staring, pointing and whispered comments from onlookers. "The pointing, the tapping the friend next to them saying 'have you seen that guy's face', that is also constant," he added. Mr Ghose's wife, Piyali, helped him learn to accept himself, encouraging him to share his story on social media. Despite initial hesitation, he started a TikTok account in early 2023, gaining nearly 200,000 followers and millions of likes. By sharing his experiences, Amit became more self-accepting and confident. He transitioned from a law firm job to full-time motivational speaking, prioritising helping young people. "Disability or no disability, visible difference or no visible difference, we all have insecurities, we all have things that we're faced with, and challenges we're faced with. I just want to give this narrative to people that if we truly celebrate who we are, accept who we are, fall in love with who we are, then we can be more confident," he said.
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Indian-origin man with rare disorder claims London cafe denied him service: ‘Like they saw a ghost'
A 35-year-old Indian-origin man with a rare genetic condition has alleged that he was refused service at a cafe because of his facial disfigurement, a report by the BBC said. Amit Ghose is a motivational speaker who was born with Neurofibromatosis type 1, a condition that causes non-cancerous tumours to grow along nerves. The condition caused facial disfigurement because of which he was subjected to brutal bullying as a child. However, Ghose was shocked when he was refused service in a cafe because of his condition. The Birmingham resident said when he visited an independent coffee shop in London recently, he felt like everyone looked at him like he was a "ghost". "Everyone was staring at me, and it was like they'd almost seen a ghost. The person serving looked at me and said: 'Oh, we're not serving anymore'. She turned around and walked off. But clearly, clearly they were still serving," Ghose recounted to the BBC. Ghose said he was bullied and made fun of throughout his life because of his facial disfigurement and now shares his motivational story in schools to help children "embrace their personalities and celebrate who they are". He even published a children's book, Born Different, after he was recently abused. "I had a couple of individuals come over to me in a park and ask me what happened to my face, and I thought they were just being curious. But actually, they started laughing, giggling, saying: 'Oh my God, if I had a face like you I wouldn't even come out of my house'," he said. Amit had his left eye surgically removed at the age of 11, leading to further facial disfigurement as well as abuse and bullying. A cricket lover, it was through the sport that he was able to make friends when children his age refused to even sit next to him. It was his wife Piyali who persuaded him to start sharing his story on social media. After joining TikTok in 2023, he has gained almost 200,000 followers. "Disability or no disability, visible difference or no visible difference, we all have insecurities, we all have things that we're faced with, and challenges we're faced with. I just want to give this narrative to people that if we truly celebrate who we are, accept who we are, fall in love with who we are, then we can be more confident," he said.
