Transformations: lullubell
Lubellehe “Lullubell”, Age 4 - Zimbabwe, Africa
In 2009, CNN International documented the work of Operation of Hope in a 20 minute documentary called, ‘Inside Africa’ Hosted by Isha Sesay. In this documentary an adorable little girl came to the hospital with the help of her Great Grandmother Sarah. Lullubell was immediately scheduled for surgery. Later, it was discovered Sarah had sold her goats so she could afford the bus fare to the hospital!
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Lubellehe, as featured on CNN's 'Inside Africa' hosted by Isha Sesay. |
Lullubell was a magic little girl. Her personality shined and everyone in the hospital just fell in love with her. Our sense was, Lullubell didn’t understand her condition as she was always so happy and engaged in the moment. Her Grandmother said, sadly, she was starting to notice kids making fun of her because her teeth stick out. In time, it was very likely, Lullubell, like so many kids with deformities, would be shoved to the side and hidden, completely smothering such a bright and beautiful kid such as Lullubell.
Lullubell’s surgery went extremely well. The family spent the night in the hospitaland the next day, they all traveled home together with a little extra money that Operation of Hope gave to Sarah with specific instructions: “Go buy those goats back!”
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"Lullubell" shown here after her surgery with her Great Grandmother and her Aunt. |
Fortunately, one of the world’s finest facial reconstructive surgeons, Keith Blackwell, M.D., had an ear for Jennifer’s call. Dr. Blackwell along with reconstructive surgeon Babek Azizzadeh, M.D., and a team of UCLA anesthesiologists, all donated their time and talent.
October 29th, 2007. UCLA Medical Center, Westwood, CA. Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Azizzadeh and a team of 15 specialists, reported the surgery went better than imagined. The procedure involved taking a 6-inch artery that was harvested from Beloved’s bicep. Using a technologically advanced microscope, this extracted artery redirected a vital blood supply to Beloved’s face. “A free-flap,” (a removed piece of skin) was then taken from his wrist and used to cover the area under his nose, jaw and cheek. Tissue was then removed from his thigh to repair the area where the free-flap had been extracted from his wrist.