Cameron Underwood was 24 years old when he attempted to take his own life and survived, although he was left with extremely serious facial injuries. He lost his nose, much of his lower jaw, and almost all of his teeth.
After several attempts at reconstruction, an opportunity arose that would once again change his story. Six months after being placed on the waiting list, a compatible donor appeared: Will Fisher, a 23-year-old man whose family authorized the donation of his facial tissues.
In January 2018, more than 100 professionals from NYU Langone Health took part in a 25-hour operation to reconstruct much of his face.
But for Cameron, the result meant much more than being able to recognize himself in the mirror again. He regained the ability to smile, move forward, and look to the future with a renewed desire to live. “I am very grateful to have a face transplant because it has given me a second chance at life”, he said some time later. 💙