Veteran’s Day might be over on the calendar, but it’s not over in the hearts of facial plastic surgeons who continue to offer their pro-bono services to war veterans who have been injured in the line of duty. It’s part of The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery’s (AAFPRS) program FACES OF HONOR.
On November 11th the nation watched the Concert For Valor event in Washington DC as stars like Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson performed to express gratitude for veterans and active duty service members and raise awareness for veteran organizations.
The Concert for Valor put out the call to make everyday Veteran’s Day, the same goal FACES OF HONOR has been striving toward since 2009 when the AAFPRS began the program. FACES OF HONOR provides face, head, or neck medical and surgical expertise as a thank you to our veterans.
For example, a 35-year-old Iraq veteran from Florida received a beard implant after an IED blast robbed him of his ability to grow facial hair. Normally, hair transplant surgery can cost up to $8,500, but Dr. Jeffrey Epstein, MD, FACS, a facial plastic surgeon offered to donate his time and services to give this army vet his beard back.
According to Stephen S. Park, MD, President of the AAFPRS, “It’s estimated that 20 percent of survivable injuries suffered in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts involve the face and neck. The FACES OF HONOR program was designed to answer the call to honor the brave men and women who have served our country.”
The AAFPRS helps connect prospective patients with surgeons willing to provide service. Military veterans can apply and find out more about the FACES OF HONOR program athttp://www.facesofhonor.org
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