Brave Cassidy
Hooper, 17, is excitedly preparing for complicated surgery at the end
of the month which will hopefully attach a nose to her face.
Born
with no eyes and no nose, the teen from Charlotte, North Carolina, will
undergo an operation on July 31st to have a bone removed from her rib
cage and attached to her forehead - forming a bridge for her new nose.
Having
already gone through preparatory surgery in June that has left her with
a flap of skin where her nose will be, the high-school senior is even
looking forward to starting her first job at the Library for the Blind
in Raleigh and taking her own solo commute.
Talking to WBTV, Hooper said that she was ecstatic the final surgeries would take her 'one step closer to getting a nose like everyone else!'
It
has taken six years for doctors to get the stage where they can be in a
position to create a nose for Cassidy - a process they described as
laying foundations for a house.
The
operation in June moved Cassidy's eyes closer together while taking a
section of her forehead bone, folding it down and also pulling enough
skin downwards to create enough necessary for the bone to be implanted
and create a nose at the end of the month.
Ready for One More Operation: Cassidy talks to a
reporter from WBTV - clearly visible is the patch of skin surgically
pulled down from her forehead - at the end of July bone from a rib will
be inserted as the final piece of her new nose
Slightly Tender: Cassidy Hooper described her
boneless nose as slightly painful and described her excitement that the
whole process is almost over
Telling WBTV that the
surgery has left her in some pain, a bandage-covered Cassidy said that
she was looking forward to her years of surgery coming to an end.
'I
was actually thinking of what the reaction of everyone would be when
that last surgery finished,' she said. 'And I think everyone's going to
be so excited.'
Friends of the Hooper family have recently established a website to help with Cassidy's mounting medical bills.
Susan
says insurance covers 80% of what's 'reasonable and customary'. The
other 20% is left to the Hooper family. To get more information or
help, go to
And
the good news has left the energetic teen ecstatic because for the
first time she will be able to smell and breathe through her own nose.
Cassidy Hooper is preparing for surgery to give
her a real nose built from cartilage and bones from her ribs after
five-years of preparations
When she was born, her condition left doctors baffled, especially since had no other medical problems and leads a healthy life.
'Her heart and brain are normal,' said her mother, kindergarten teacher, Susan Hooper to ABC News.
'Nothing else is going on with her.'
The
inspirational teenager has been going through skin graft surgeries to
adapt her face since she was 11 years old and is pleased to be entering
the final straight.
'I'll have a real nose like everyone else's,' said Cassidy of her July surgery.
Her surgeon, Dr. David Matthews has worked for the past five years expanding her face to create a bony opening.
In
the past, Cassidy used prosthetic eyes, but since they cost $5,000
each, the Hooper's could not afford to keep replacing them as their
daughter grew.
'Insurance
didn't pay one cent,' said Susan, 42. 'We had already started the
process to do her nose, moving her eyes closer together and having her
skull reshaped. We were not going to pay for it then have to pay again.'
Experts who spoke to ABC News explained how the surgery to replace Cassidy's nose will be completed.
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