At 19 months old, baby James McCallum earned the nickname ‘little ninja-turtle’ from his parents due to a rare skin condition that led to a ‘turtle shell’ growth covering 75% of his back. This extraordinary condition left both his parents and doctors perplexed.

Baby James’s mother, Kaitlyn, recalled that the ultrasounds provided no insight before his birth on August 19th, 2021. Initially mistaking it for a birthmark, Kaitlyn grew concerned when scabbing and lumps appeared on James’s back. After two months and numerous consultations, doctors diagnosed him with giant congenital melanocytic nevus, a benign tumor-like malformation caused by the abnormal development of pigment cells.

In response to the diagnosis, James’s parents learned that the growth could be eliminated through a series of surgical procedures. He underwent two rounds of surgery in February and May 2022. Following the surgeries, most of the nevus was removed, enabling James to comfortably lie on his back. Tissue expansion later replaced the nevus with healthy skin, resulting in a successful procedure. Kaitlyn and Tim, James’s parents, are optimistic that one more round of surgery will eliminate the nevus altogether.

Kaitlyn recalled, “When he was born, my mum, Mary, and Tim both noticed something on his back. It looked kind of like a birthmark but scabbed over in parts – it was a little concerning as it looked like something was wrong. The doctors didn’t really know what it was at that point. It had started to get fattier and more lumpy – it seemed like it was growing. When he was two months old, a pediatric dermatologist was able to tell us what it was and then began the process of having it removed.”

Before his initial surgery in February 2022, James underwent an MRI to determine if the mass was internally growing on his brain or spine. Luckily, the results came back negative, providing some relief to his parents. The nevus, which started to impact James’s sleep, became a priority for Kaitlyn and Tim. They consulted a plastic surgeon for removal due to the increased risk of melanoma associated with the condition. Two different surgeries were performed to remove most of the nevus, allowing James to lay his head down flat and experience increased comfort. Tests on the removed skin came back negative for diseases, which was a great relief to his parents.

After the successful surgery, Kaitlyn and Tim learned about tissue expansion, a method to prompt the body to generate additional skin by stretching the surrounding tissue. They became members of a Facebook group that provides global support for individuals with the condition, seeking information on tissue expansion. Through the group, they were referred to a specialist in Chicago who guided them through the virtual consultation process. Starting in September 2022, the tissue expansion process began, with expanders placed under James’s skin by the doctor. Saline was injected once a week to slowly expand the healthy skin and replace the nevus.

Kaitlyn humorously mentioned, “We started that process in September 2022, and from what they told us, they believe they can sort it out by his second birthday in August. The Facebook group is wonderful, and they work with the Nevus Outreach Organization, who do brilliant research work.”

James has completed the initial tissue expansion phase and is scheduled to return to Chicago in April for the placement and expansion of the final expanders during the summer. His parents are relieved and excited for his future, knowing that once the nevus is removed, it will be gone for good. The scars will be minimal, and James will have the best quality of life. They believe that he will be able to tell a cool story about it and develop resilience along the way. Kaitlyn and Tim are grateful for the support they have received and look forward to celebrating James’s nevus-free future.

Baby James is indeed a warrior, and we wish him a bright and beautiful future ahead!

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