US girl who shot herself under her chin gets face transplant
After a 31-hour procedure, Katie Stubblefield became the youngest person to receive a face transplant in United States history. The surgery took place last year, Katie got a new face but only now she's sharing her story with the world, reports USA Today.
Katie had lost her nose and parts of her mouth and forehead, in a failed attempt at suicide. That was three years ago when a host of problems in life - such as chronic gastrointestinal issues, the loss of her mother's job, a painful breakup — had left her disillusioned and angry. One day in March 2014, Katie had picked up her brother's .308-caliber rifle and placing it beneath her chin, she had fired it.
She survived that attempt to kill herself but was left with a disfigured and dysfunctional face. She had since been put on a waiting list for a face transplant.
In 2017, a match was found. Katie was to receive the face of a 31-year-old organ donor named Adrea Schneider. Specialists at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio transplanted Schneider's scalp, forehead, eyelids, and nose as well as parts of her cheeks, jaw, muscle, teeth etc to Katie's skull. According to National Geographic, Katie Stubblefield is the 40th known person in the world known to receive a new face. Now Katie had 100% replacement of her facial tissue.
According to USA Today, the Cleveland Clinic hospital declined to identify Stubblefield after the surgery last year but released a statement from the transplant recipient.
"To call my surgeons, physicians, nurses and caregivers ‘world class’ would be an understatement," Katie has conveyed. "And to my donor and her family — words cannot express the appreciation I have for this incredible gift."
Before her suicide attempt, Katie says she never saw herself as beautiful. A photograph of her, taken after her injury and before the transplant, appears on the cover of National Geographic's September issue. "The Story of A Face".
"So many people have helped me," Stubblefield, who hopes to speak on suicide prevention, told the magazine. "Now I want to help other people." She has become a very active voice on teen suicides and prevention since after she survived a suicide attempt.
courtesy : timesnownews.com
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Israeli strikes kill at least 17 in Gaza as ground troops enter Palestinian territory's north
Deir al-Balah (Gaza), Apr 4 (AP): Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people in the Gaza Strip early Friday, as Israel sent more ground troops into the Palestinian territory to ramp up its offensive against Hamas.
At least 17 people, some from the same family, were killed after an airstrike hit the southern city of Khan Younis, according to hospital staff. Hours later, people were still searching through the rubble, looking for survivors.
The attack follows days of Israeli strikes, which have killed at least 100 people, as it intensifies operations, intended to pressure Hamas to release its hostages. On Friday, Israel said it had begun ground activity in northern Gaza, in order to expand its security zone.
Israel's military had issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza before expected ground operations. The UN humanitarian office said around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas last month.
In recent days, Israel's vowed to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security corridor across it.
To pressure Hamas, Israel has imposed a monthlong blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle — a tactic that rights groups say is a war crime. Israel said earlier this week that enough food had entered Gaza during a six-week truce to sustain the territory's roughly 2 million Palestinians for a long time.
Hamas says it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli pullout from Gaza. The group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory.
The predawn strike on Friday hit a three-story building. In addition to the dead, the attack wounded at least 16 people from the same family. Associated Press reporters saw bodies being carried out in blankets, while others searched for people trapped under the rubble and collected charred remains.
“We don't know how to collect them and how to bury them. We don't know whose remains these are. They were burned and dismembered,” said Ismail Al-Aqqad, whose brother died in the strike, as well as his brother's family.
On Thursday, more than 30 bodies, including women and children, were taken to hospitals in and around Khan Younis, according to hospital staff.
Israel said Friday that it had killed a top Hamas commander in a strike in Lebanon's coastal city of Sidon. Israel said that Hassan Farhat was a commander of Hamas' western area in Lebanon and that he was responsible for numerous attacks against Israel, including one in February 2024, which killed an Israeli soldier and injured others.
The war began when Hamas-led group attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements and other deals. Israel rescued eight living hostages and has recovered dozens of bodies.
More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as part of Israel's offensive, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The ministry says more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 Hamas fighters, without providing evidence.
The war has left most of Gaza in ruins, and at its height displaced around 90% of the population.
