For more than a decade, 15-year-old Lai Thi Dao of Vietnam lived with a massive, steadily growing facial tumor. The growth, identified as a benign Schwannoma, began as a small lump on her tongue when she was about three years old. Over the years it expanded unchecked, eventually weighing approximately 12 to 16 pounds (roughly 5.5 to 7 kilograms) and accounting for a significant portion—up to one-third—of her body weight. It severely deformed the lower half of her face and neck, restricted her ability to speak, eat, and sleep, and progressively threatened to obstruct her airway.

Without specialized medical care available in her rural community, the tumor continued to enlarge. By her mid-teens, everyday activities had become extremely difficult, and doctors warned that the growth would eventually cut off her breathing if left untreated. The International Kids Fund learned of her case and arranged for Lai and her mother to travel to the United States for treatment.

In April 2008, a multidisciplinary surgical team at the University of Miami / Jackson Memorial Medical Center, led by oral and maxillofacial surgeons Dr. Robert Marx and Dr. Jesus Gomez, performed a complex operation lasting 12 to 14 hours. The surgeons successfully removed the entire tumor. Postoperative measurements confirmed it was among the largest Schwannoma tumors of its kind ever reported. Because the growth was benign, the risk of recurrence after complete excision was considered low.

Lai recovered well. In the months following surgery she regained the ability to move her neck more freely, speak, eat normally, and smile. When she appeared publicly several months later, she expressed her long-held dream of attending school for the first time upon returning to Vietnam. The medical care, estimated at more than $100,000, was supported through charitable efforts by the International Kids Fund and the hospital.

Lai Thi Dao’s case stands as a powerful example of how international medical solidarity, combined with advanced surgical expertise, can transform a life that had been severely limited by a rare and progressive condition. Her successful outcome offered her the chance to reclaim basic functions and pursue opportunities previously out of reach.

Sources

• ABC News, Fox News, CBS News, and Miami Herald coverage of Lai Thi Dao’s diagnosis, surgery, and recovery (2008)
• Reports from the University of Miami / Jackson Memorial Medical Center and statements by Drs. Robert Marx and Jesus Gomez
• International Kids Fund documentation of the case and fundraising efforts