Oral 1, ‘Colour coded’: skin pigment and young people in the West Midlands

Abstract

Skin colour affects the lives of young people culturally, socially, emotionally and medically. This project was conceived by a young black film-maker from Handsworth to explore how young people feel about their particular skin pigmentation. Together with the TV company Resource Base and the Dermatology Department at Birmingham Children's Hospital he applied successfully to the Wellcome Trust for a Pulse award which provides funding for arts projects which engage young people with biomedical science.The aims were to engage young people from the Black community in the West Midlands in raising awareness of the determinants of skin colour, and to develop scientific understanding and also film-making and marketing skills of those participating.The film crew and professionals met with young people from ethnic minorities in homes, community centres, schools and on the streets. About 30 took part in developing the music video, another 40 in workshops leading to the drama production, 20 in filmed discussions of their perceptions of skin colour, and six in filming and post-production work. Material was checked for scientific accuracy by the dermatology team.The resulting DVD features a short drama about skin-lightening treatment, and a rap, both written, performed and filmed by the group. Other features include a discussion about skin colour, and question-and-answer sessions with members of the dermatology team. The DVD, which was launched at The Birmingham Artsfest on 9th September 2006, will be marketed to schools throughout the U.K. A 32-month-old girl of Pakistani origin presented to the paediatricians with a short history of abdominal pain, decreased appetite and lethargy and a history of developmental delay. She was referred to us when it was noted that her hair and eyebrows were silver in colour. While in hospital, she became progressively more unwell, developed neck stiffness and refused to walk. A diagnosis of acute meningitis was made and a prelumbar puncture computed tomographic scan showed hydrocephalus with enlarged third and lateral ventricles. She underwent a third ventriculostomy and insertion of a reservoir. Magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple focal ill-defined enhancement with larger enhancing masses in the cerebellum. These appearances were initially thought suggestive of widely disseminated lymphoma or leukaemia. Surgical biopsy of these lesions was performed and histology showed some evidence of histiocytic tumour with a degree of erythrophagocytosis and lymphophagocytosis.In view of the histology and the phenotypic features, Griscelli syndrome was considered. Blood and hair from the patient were analysed and she was confirmed to be homozygous for a mutation in the RAB27A gene, which has been described in Griscelli syndrome. She has subsequently undergone bone marrow transplantation.Griscelli syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder resulting in partial albinism and a combined immunodeficiency. 1 Our case is unusual in that the presentation was neurological with no evidence of cytopenia.R...