Baby James McCallum, at 19 months old, earned the nickname ‘little ninja-turtle’ from his parents. His rare skin condition led to a ‘turtle shell’ growth, covering 75% of his back, leaving both his parents and doctors baffled.

Kaitlyn, 35, recalls that ultrasounds provided no insight before her baby’s birth on August 19th, 2021, at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida, US.

After two months and numerous consultations, doctors diagnosed baby James with giant congenital melanocytic nevus—a benign, tumor-like malformation caused by the abnormal development of pigment cells.

In response to the diagnosis, James’ parents learned that the growth could be eliminated through a series of surgical procedures. Consequently, he underwent two rounds of surgery in February and May 2022. WATCH MORE PHOTOS BELOW