A man named Oliver Bromley was kicked out of a restaurant after the staff said his facial disfigurement had caused complaints from customers. Oliver has Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a condition that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow on his nerves. This incident happened in August at a restaurant in Camberwell, south London, while he was a patient at King’s College Hospital.
After his treatment, Oliver decided to grab a meal at the restaurant. When he noticed they only accepted cash, he left to withdraw some money. But when he returned, the staff asked him to leave, saying he was “scaring the customers.”
Oliver told the BBC that there hadn’t been enough time for anyone to complain about him, so he felt the staff just didn’t like the way he looked.
Oliver Bromley was deeply hurt by the comment made by the restaurant staff, but instead of arguing, he quietly left. He has since filed a complaint with the restaurant and reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police.
Oliver says he doesn’t mind if people ask questions about his condition and thinks the situation happened because of a lack of understanding. He said, “They probably thought having tumors was contagious or something.”
Now, Oliver hopes to turn the awful experience into something positive by raising awareness for people with facial differences. He added, “It’s not about me. It’s never been about me.”
Karen Cockburn, director of the charity Nerve Tumours UK, expressed disappointment, saying that while Oliver’s experience was terrible, it’s sadly not uncommon for people with his condition.
Karen Cockburn, director of Nerve Tumours UK, explained that their charity works hard to raise awareness about the condition and support patients, as well as to educate the public. They have contacted both the restaurant and UK Hospitality, the trade association, about the incident. While they haven’t heard back from the restaurant, UK Hospitality has agreed to work with them to raise awareness in the hospitality industry, and they are planning a meeting soon to start this collaboration.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers spoke with Oliver Bromley about the incident. Although no arrests were made, they take hate crime reports seriously and monitor all such cases.
Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a rare genetic condition that affects about 1 in 3,000 people worldwide. It’s caused by a mutation in the NF-1 gene, which regulates a protein that helps control cell growth. The condition can cause tumors, both cancerous and non-cancerous, to grow on nerves. It can also lead to other issues like a large head, short height, heart problems, seizures, and learning difficulties. Most people with NF1 have a normal life expectancy.
The condition can be inherited, but around 30-50% of cases occur in people with no family history. It’s usually present at birth but can develop at any age. Symptoms include flat brown birthmarks and bumpy growths. The severity of the condition can vary, with some people only having a few tumors and others developing hundreds or thousands.
