Justin Hamilton is not a stranger to the area. If one was to see him walking down the streets or at a gas station they would recognize him from his telltale cowboy hat, face mask, long sleeve shirt and sunglasses no matter how hot or cold the weather might be.
    Although the attire can commonly be found in southwest Nebraska, Hamilton’s outfit is mostly worn out of necessity rather than fashion.
    Hamilton has a very rare disease, Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria (CEP). It is also known as Gunther’s disease.
    CEP symptoms begin during infancy. In less severe cases symptoms may begin during adult life.  
    Because of his condition, Hamilton has a hypersensitivity of the skin to sunlight and even some types of artificial lights. Blistering of the skin occurs after too much sun exposure.
    Some people experience abnormal accumulations of body fluid under affected areas or persistent redness or inflammation of the skin. Affected areas may also develop sac-like lesions, scar and/or become discolored if exposure to sunlight is prolonged.
    Hamilton noted the first symptoms he experienced was right after he was born. It was discovered that his urine was a red fluorescent color, and  doctors first thought there was something wrong with his kidneys.
    He was six months old when he was officially diagnosed with CEP. There are currently less than 150 cases reported of CEP in the world.
    Over the course of his life he has had many surgeries including procedures done on his spleen, fingers and his eye.
    In an article Hamilton did with porphyria foundation he stated, “Pain becomes a normal thing that I become used to and just pray it heals fast each time. Trying to manage it is just a lot of sunscreen and coverage when in the sun. I believe everything happens for a reason, so I just take what the good Lord gave me and make the best of it.”

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