WHAT IS PROGERIA?
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, or progeria, is an extremely rare genetic condition, affecting one in every four million births worldwide.
It’s caused by a faulty gene, which produces an abnormal protein that triggers rapid ageing.
It affects both sexes, and the average life expectancy is 13.
Most children appear healthy when born, but tell-tale signs – including weight loss, large eyes, and beaked nose – appear in the first year.