The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) announced the launch of their new humanitarian effort named "Faces of Honor." It's a program that will offer free surgical care for soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty.
It is estimated that 20% of survivable injuries suffered in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts involve the face and neck. "We designed 'Faces of Honor' to show our unwavering support for those who protect America and other countries against terrorism threats. Our sons, daughters, husbands and wives are fighting selflessly on this front, and they have inspired us to take action," said AAFPRS President, Donn Chatham, MD.
The project was developed last year when Dr. Chatham suggested the AAFPRS recruit volunteer facial plastic surgeons to offer their knowledge and services to injured war veterans.
The idea of offering to help these veterans struck a deep chord among AAFPRS surgeons and the groundwork was laid to begin the “Faces of Honor” program.
This new program is intended to compliment the existing medical care that the VA and military facilities have provided. The program's goal is to work alongside VA caregivers whenever possible, but sometimes veterans may be geographically removed from specialty surgical care.
Eligibility guidelines and the process enabling veterans to apply for a consultation are described on-line (
facesofhonor.org).
