Donegal teenager pioneers facial surgery in New York

Alan Doherty a teenager from Letterkenny in County Donegal has undegone the start of his pioneering facial operations to give him a lower jaw and chin.
Alan was born with a rare condition called otofacial syndrome, this meant that the teenager could not use his voice and needed tubes to breathes and feed efficiently.
Alan met doctors in the US last summer who believed they could help him. Alan got to know the doctors through the Physically Challenged Irish and American Youth Team, a charity which brought him to New York to compete in the state athletic games.
He told them it was his dream to have a new face and after a number of tests, doctors made plans for a series of operations to give him a lower jaw.
This form Reconstructive surgery of this kind has never been attempted before.
Local Donegal and Irish worldwide Charities had been fundraising to help meet the estimated $400,000 cost of the surgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.
RTE reports that Alan's first operation successfully took place yesterday, this involved moving a piece of hip bone to Alan's back. It is hoped this bone will grow nerves and other soft tissue that can then be eventually moved to rebuild Alan's face. The US doctors hope to do that operation later this year.
Before travelling to the US Alan said: 'I want the operation because I simply want a perfect chin to stop people staring at me all the time.'

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Donegal teenager pioneers facial surgery in New York