first female amputee to compete in the Olympics.

Natalie Du Toit of South Africa talks to her coach after women's marathon 10km competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games swimming event in Beijing, China, Aug. 20, 2008. Natalie Du Toit ranked the 16th of the event. Du Toit, whose left leg was amputated in 2001 after she was injured in a road accident, is an athlete for both Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympic Olympics.

As the exhausted girl was receiving message after finishing 16th in a grueling 10-kilometer open water race, nearly 100 journalists waited patiently for her at the press room. Before du Toit emerged, questions on her were poured to her competitors.

"I think she deserved a separate gold medal just for the effort," winner of the race, Russia's Larisa Ilchenko, said. "It takes a lot of willpower to compete in this discipline. I want to compliment her for being so strong and so brave."

Starting swimming at the age of six, du Toit nearly qualified for the 2000 Games at the age of 16. But the following year as she trained for the 2004 Olympics, she was struck by a car while on her motorbike in Cape Town. Her left leg was amputated at the knee.

Du Toit responded to the tragedy by jumping back in the pool a few months later. She had never been a distance swimmer before the accident, but a year ago she started training for the race. She qualified for the Beijing Games with a fourth-place finish at the open-water world championships in May in Spain.

When du Toit finally appeared in front of the media, she looked tired but happy. "For me it was a dream come true," said she.

The open-water event is slated to the 2008 Olympic Games for the first time. The event is often referred to as a "wrestling match in water" due to the aggressive techniques employed in competing in the sport.


Natalie Du Toit of South Africa talks to her coach after women's marathon 10km competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games swimming event in Beijing, China, Aug. 20, 2008. Natalie Du Toit ranked the 16th of the event. Du Toit, whose left leg was amputated in 2001 after she was injured in a road accident, is an athlete for both Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympic Olympics.


One significant difference between du Toit and the other swimmers is that she has to make sure that someone takes care of her prosthetic leg at the start and return it to her at the finish. Except for that, as an amputee competing with able-bodied people, du Toit received no more courtliness.

"There was lots of dunking. It's always going to be dangerous, the best thing is not to panic, and then keep coming back," she said. The South African stayed in the first pack during the three quarters of the race, but dropped behind at the last stage.

"A couple of things went wrong. I struggled with my cap. And from lap one already I went wrong in the first buoy and my cap got stuck in the first buoy...I kind of stuck in the pack all the time. That sort of beat myself a bit," she said.

When du Toit finished the race, she could hardly get out of the water. "That shows I did give all my best in the race," she said jokingly.

"I was disappointed a bit. Position 16 isn't great. I would have liked to have been in the top five. As a seasoned swimmer there should be no excuses. But I gave my best and I am happy with the result," she said calmly

But when it came to what swimming meant to her, the athlete got quite emotional.

"I feel completely free in the water and I feel that's who I am. I've given up a lot, given up studying. I do motivational speaking for a living, but you know I've given it up (for swimming)," said du Toit, trying to fight back tears.

At home, du Toit is a national icon and her story has inspired thousands of her compatriots. At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games, she carried South Africa's flag leading her country's athletes into the Bird Nest.

Having gone through so many ups and downs in life, du Toit said she hoped to show all the people, not only the disabled, that "you have to work hard.""There are the negative things. But there are a lot of positive things down the way as well. It's to use the negative things in a good light."

Du Toit, who will soon compete in multiple events in the Paralympics, said she will continue to compete with able-bodied people. "I don't even think about not having a leg and if I want to keep competing I will have to continue to qualify with the able-bodied. For me it's not about the disability at all."

The swimmer said she hope to be back for 2012 London Olympics. "Where I'll be hoping for a top five place," said she.

Did you know that Vitiligo is a chronic skin disease?

Did you know that Vitiligo or leukoderma is a chronic skin disease that causes loss of pigment which produces white patches?

The precise cause of vitiligo is complex and not fully understood. There is some evidence suggesting it is caused by a combination of auto-immune, genetic, and environmental factors. The population incidence worldwide is considered to be between 1% and 2%.


Did you know that Vitiligo affects one or two of every 100 people.?
About half the people who develop it do so before the age of 20; about one - fifth have a family member with this condition. It may be an autoimmune process (the body makes antibodies to its own pigment cells). Most people with vitiligo are in good general health, although vitiligo may occur with other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disease.




With vitiligo you develop patches of de-pigmented skin appearing on extremities before their 20s. The patches may grow, shrink, or remain constant in size. Patches often occur symmetrically across both sides on the body. Occasionally small areas may repigment as they are recolonised by melanocytes. The location of vitiligo affected skin changes over time, with some patches re-pigmenting and others becoming affected.

Vitiligo may also be caused by stress that affects the immune system, leading the body to react and start eliminating skin pigment.

Vitiligo on the scalp may affect the color of the hair (though not always), leaving white patches or streaks. It will similarly affect facial and body hair.


Did you know some of the symptoms of Vitiligo?

• white patches on the skin, including the face, limbs, torso, and groin
• purple or golden brown patches on mucous membranes and around the eyes, nostrils, and mouth
• uveitis
• premature graying of hair


Typical vitiligo shows areas of milky-white skin. However, the degree of pigment loss can vary within each vitiligo patch. There may be different shades of pigment in a patch, or a border of darker skin may circle an area of light skin.

Vitiligo often begins with a rapid loss of pigment. This may continue until, for unknown reasons, the process stops. Cycles of pigment loss, followed by times where the pigment doesn't change, may continue indefinitely.
It is rare for skin pigment in vitiligo patients to return on its own. Some people who believe they no longer have vitiligo actually have lost all their pigment and no longer have patches of contrasting skin color. Although their skin is all one color, they still have vitiligo.
The course and severity of pigment loss differ with each person. Light-skinned people usually notice the contrast between areas of vitiligo and suntanned skin in the summer. Year round, vitiligo is more obvious on people with darker skin. Individuals with severe cases can lose pigment all over the body. There is no way to predict how much pigment an individual will lose.


Did you know that Vitiligo can have a significant effect on the psychological well being of the patient? This is especially true for darker skinned patients as the contrast between pigmented and depigmented skin can be quite drastic.

In some cultures there is a stigma attached to having vitiligo. Those affected with the condition are sometimes thought to be evil or diseased and are sometimes shunned by others in the community. People with vitiligo may feel depressed because of this stigma or because their appearance has changed dramatically. Other people with vitiligo experience no negative psychological effects at all.


There are a number of ways to alter the appearance of vitiligo without addressing its underlying cause. In mild cases, vitiligo patches can be hidden with makeup or other cosmetic camouflage solutions. If the affected person is pale-skinned, the patches can be made less visible by avoiding sunlight and the sun tanning of unaffected skin. However, exposure to sunlight may also cause the melanocytes to regenerate to allow the pigmentation to come back to its original color.

Did you know a traditional treatment given by most dermatologists is corticosteroid cream?

Phototherapy may also be beneficial. Using exposure to long-wave ultraviolet (UVA) light from the sun or from UVA, together with Psoralen, called "PUVA", Or with UVB Narrowband lamps (without Psoralen), can help in many cases. Psoralen can be taken in a pill 1-2 hours before the exposure or as a Psoralen soaking of the area 1/2 hour before the exposure. Lately, PUVA is being more and more replaced with exposure UVB Narrowband light at a wavelength of 311-313 nanometers. This treatment does not involve Psoralen since the effect of the lamp is strong enough. The source for the UVB Narrowband UVB light can be special fluorescent lamps that treat large areas in a few minutes, or high power fiber-optic devices in a fraction of a second.

Did you know that their are Support groups and organizations are available to help people learn more about vitiligo?

Vitiligo Support International is the largest vitiligo organization in the world. The nonprofit organization provides free access to online message boards, chat rooms, frequently asked questions, information and articles, as well as a patient-referred doctor search. The group advocates on behalf of patients, conducts patient conferences and has local support groups.
The National Vitiligo Foundation (NVF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides access to online resources, physician listings, frequently asked questions (etc); funds research through grants and sponsors local support groups and workshop style conferences.
The American Vitiligo Research Foundation Inc. (AVRF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt charity that aims to increase public awareness about vitiligo and to help those affected by vitiligo, focusing specifically on children and their families. It supports finding a cure through alternatives to animal research.

Did you know that Leucism is a reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin?

Did you know these Famous people suffered from Vitiligo?

Did you know what causes Vitiligo?

Did you know that vitiligo can also cause hypersensitivity to sunlight, making the skin more prone to sunburn?

If you didn't know, now - you know...











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LeRoi Moore DIED AT 46

Dave Matthews Band Member DeadTMZ has learned LeRoi Moore, the sax player in the Dave Matthews Band, has died He was 46.Moore was seriously injured in an ATV accident June 30 outside Charlottesville He had a punctured lung and broken ribs Moore went back into the ...

LeRoi Moore, was a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday

Did you know that Studhanm made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for having a two-foot-tall Mohawk.

Did you know that Aaron Studham, the 18-year-old senior at Leominster High School was known for his towering 24-inch mohawk?

Did you know that Studham was inspired to start growing his unique hairstyle on a dare from his friends?

Did you know that this was in 2011?

Did you know that Studham relies on the help of his twin brother and plenty of hairspray?

Did you know that the hair prep-time was over an hour to get the mohawk to stand at its full two-foot height?

Did you know that Studhanm made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for having a two-foot-tall Mohawk.

Did you know that Studhanm cut off his Mohawk after his father died from cancer?

Now if you didn't know, now you know...

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Judge: Hulk Hogan's wife gets $40,000 a month alimony

A ruling has been made in the Hulk Hogan/Linda Hogan case. A Pinellas County judge ruled today that they do not have to purchase the condo that Linda wanted in Las Vegas, but Hulk did not want. They had originally planned on purchasing the condo before they split up, and Linda wanted to go through with it. Hulk thought the property had dropped too much in value.

But Linda did get her way when it comes to money. Hulk was ordered to pay Linda $40,000 a month for living expenses starting this September, and lasting for one year.

Let's hope she makes that last, and doesn't go off spending it all! $40,000 a month is a lot, don't get us wrong, but if she's only getting it for one year, that money won't last forever. Still seems a little steep for Hulk to have to pay that much!

Did you know that Allen abnormal height of 7' 7¼ inches was due to a tumor in her pituitary gland that caused it to release growth hormone uncontrollably?

Did you know that Sandra Elaine Allen  was the tallest woman in the world during her lifetime according to Guinness World Records.[1][2] She was 7' 7¼ inches (232 cm) in height?

Did you know that Allen died on August 13, 2008, she was 53?

(June 18, 1955 – August 13, 2008)

Did you know that Sandra Allen wrote a book entitled Cast A Giant Shadow, and appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records since 1976?

Did you know that Allen abnormal height of 7' 7¼ inches was due to a tumor in her pituitary gland that caused it to release growth hormone uncontrollably?

Did you know that at age 22, Allen underwent surgery for the condition of  gigantism to stop her growth spirt?

Did you know that without the surgery Allen would have continued to grow pass  7' 7¼ inches and suffer from further medical problems?

Did you know that Sandy Allen appeared in the Academy Award-winning Italian film Il Casanova di Federico Fellini, and in a TV movie called Side Show, and in a Canadian/American documentary film called Being Different?

 The New Zealand band Split Enz immortalized her in a song, "Hello Sandy Allen," released on their 1982 album Time and Tide.

Did you know that Allen used a wheelchair because her legs and back could not support her tall stature in a standing position?

 Did you know that because she was bedridden due to gigantism, and consequently her muscles atrophied?


Did you know that Allen last years were spent in Shelbyville, Indiana in a retirement center, the same one as Edna Parker, the oldest living person in the world?

Did you know that many times of her death, many websites were incorrectly identifying Allen as the second tallest woman in the the world while Chinese woman Yao Defen as the tallest?

To see the world tallest man having a baby click here.

To see more about Bao Xishun click here.

Now if you didn't know, now you know...

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He has won gold

With 11 gold medals, Phelps has won more golds than any athlete in history. He is now the greatest olympic meadlist of all time.You are now looking at a multi millionnaire in the making. His face will be associated with everything that you can think of. He is already being sponsored in a credit card commerical! Great job mr Phelps!!!