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San Diego Doctors Give Young Woman New Face

Ana Rodarte, a young woman born in Tijuana, had suffered from neurofibromatosis, also called "elephant man's disease," for most of her life. At the age of 24, the left side of her face was disfigured

San Diego Doctors Give Young Woman New Face

Maureen Cavanaugh : A recent series of articles in the Los Angeles Times tells the story of 28-year old Ana Rodarte, a young woman who suffers from a terrible condition. As she grew up, the left side of her face became increasing distorted and covered by tumerous growths. It's a conditon very like that suffered by the 19th Century's Thomas Merrick, who became known as the Elephant Man.

Ana's condition cannot be cured, but it can be and has been significantly improved by a team of surgeons at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. The doctors that headed that team and brought Ana to Scripps are also the founders of an organization called DOCS, which stands for Doctors Offering Charitable Services.

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