One Vietnamese teenager suffers from a facial tumor so large that she can barely eat, can’t attend school, and now doctors fear she won’t be able to breathe. The 15-year-old girl is in Florida awaiting a surgery that was arranged by the International Kids Fund.

The surgery will take more than 10 hours, and doctors will remove all of the tumor, called a Schwannoma tumor. Once it is removed, doctors say it won’t come back. Schwannoma tumors are not rare, but they never reach the size of the one on Thi Dao’s face. They are also usually benign. Dao’s has been growing since she was 3, and now weighs more than 16 pounds.
The surgery will take place April 29, and the International Kids Fund is seeking donations to help cover the costs.  The estimated cost of the treatment is more than $100,000. Donors can visit their website at www.internationalkidsfund.org.
Schwannoma Tumor | Injuries 
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