Human 'Ken' doll dies of cancer

WASHINGTON: A 20-year-old Brazilian man who shot to fame after spending $50,000 on surgery to transform himself into a human version of Barbie's boyfriend Ken has died after a five-month battle with cancer.

Celso Santebanes was diagnosed with leukaemia last year. He died at a university hospital in Uberlandia in he state of Minais Gerais on Thursday after contracting pneumonia.

He had been admitted to the hospital on May 26 for chemotherapy .Santebanes started his transforma ion into a Ken doll after winning a modelling contest at the age of 16.

Santebanes shot to fame after he was spotted by a talk show in his hometown Sao Paulo. He also launched his own line of Celso Dolls shortly before he got sick.

Before his death, he'd had four operations on his jaw, chin, and nose -in addition to silicone implants in his chest. Santebanes discovered he had cancer after visiting the hospital to treat infections that were caused by hydrogel fillers, which were injected in his legs four years ago.

"When he was starting to fulfil his dreams, he discovered his illness and his dreams were interrupted. He had plans but God had others," Santebanes' father Celio Borge said.