Cleveland Clinic face transplant: A no-brainer

In Cleveland this week, doctors performed the first US face transplant on a woman “with facial damage so severe that she could not eat on her own or breathe without a hole in her windpipe,” according to The New York Times.

“Our patient was called names and was humiliated,” Dr. Siemionow said. “Children ran away.”

Critics argue that the operation was unethical and too dangerous. If I were the patient, I would much rather take this risk so that I could re-join the world without stares and humiliation. In fact, if I had the disfigurements that the patient had, I wouldn’t have the courage to walk out of the house.

I’m confident that this face transplant will be a success and will pave the way for more operations that will allow disfigured patients to lead a more normal life.