EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- Adam Spencer graduated from the University of Oregon in 2010 and shortly thereafter began a journey through South America, making videos for non-profits. About halfway through his six-month trip, Adam was bitten by a bug carrying a flesh-eating parasite. What started out as a small bump on his cheek eventually became a wound the size of a tennis ball. It took months and several doctor visits to find out Adam had cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Adam will be featured on an Animal Planet show called Monsters Inside Me, documenting his journey fighting the infection. He's been through a couple of different treatments and the wound is now the size of a dime and continues to shrink after two years. You can see Adam's on Animal Planet this Friday night at 8 PM.
Adam says he participated in the show to bring attention to the non-profit groups he originally traveled to promote. He says even though he had a rough experience, he wants to encourage other people to explore the world through volunteer traveling.
