US HEALTHCARE! BOO-RAH!

I love this story! It is (no pun intended ) an in-your-face illustration of old fashioned American Can-Doism, when confronted with “nothing can be done”:

Cody Hall was born with a hemangioma, a tumorous birthmark that distorted the shape of her face and grew larger as she got older.

When she was 1-year-old, her doctors in England told her parents that nothing could be done about her condition, so her parents took her to see surgeons in the U.S.

Fourteen years and 18 reconstructive surgeries later, most of them at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York, the girl who once had a hopelessly deformed face was flashing a beautiful smile at the prom.

UK – “Enlightened” Socialized Healthcare: Sorry, can’t be helped. Your daughter is destined to look like Charles Laughton playing Quasimoto – learn to live with it until the effects kill her.

US – “Backwards” Healthcare: Your daughter will be restored in both health and beauty. Yes we can.

Incredible pictures here.

I know it’s a marine-thing, but Boo-rah, doctors, Boo-rah! And to the folks who donated to cover the costs – Boo-rah!

Reader Elizabeth J sends along a link to a similar story.