Haitian girl’s scars giving way to smiles

A teenage girl who has undergone several operations to transform her disfigured face is blooming into a confident teenager.

BY NADEGE CHARLES
ncharles@MiamiHerald.com

The birthday girl twirled to the sounds of her favorite Haitian music. Friends and family formed a circle around her, chanting “Marlie, Marlie.”

Four years ago, Marlie Casseus spent most of her life hiding in Haiti. She hid behind curtains, walls and her mother’s legs. The few times she did go out in public, people would stare at the 16-pound-mass ballooning from her face.

Since 2005, the teen has undergone six surgeries at Holtz Children’s Hospital of the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center to remove the tumor and reconstruct her face.

Thursday, she’ll undergo a seventh, one that will replace an implant in her face.

Over the years, doctors have methodically pieced together Marlie’s face. What was once a gaping hole five times larger than a fist has been transformed into a mouth. Her once sunken face has achieved definition through a synthetic skeleton of titanium plates and a hard polymer.

Her eyes are droopy but expressive, her nose is still flat and her smile toothless. Dr. Jesus Gomez, lead maxillofacial surgeon, said additional surgeries will amend these imperfections.

Full Story: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/haiti/story/1123872.html

Tags: Haiti