A celebration of Albinism Day

INTERNATIONAL Albinism Awareness Day was celebrated yesterday and in Cape Town a police commander from Kraaifontein decided to use the occasion to educate the community about the day.

“I was very happy to hear about this because people with albinism are a very small group and I decided to assist and create awareness,” Captain Gerhard Niemand said.

He and a few police members went to the corner of Old Paarl and Botfontein road yesterday and dished out pamphlets. “The concept of Ubuntu means a lot to me because I know how it feels when people make fun of you.

“When I was at school children mocked me all the time over my surname,” he said.

Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically-inherited condition present at birth. It is found in females and males regardless of ethnicity and in all countries in the world. It results in a lack of pigmentation (melanin) in the hair, skin and eyes, causing vulnerability to the sun and bright light.

In North America and Europe one in every 17 000 to 20 000 people have some form of albinism. The condition is more prevalent in Africa.