A pensioner has become the first black man to receive a full face transplant after suffering burns to 60 per cent of his body.

Robert Chelsea, 68, was completely engulfed in flames after a drunk driver ploughed into his stationary vehicle in Los Angeles, in August 2013.

The incident left in him a coma for six months, and he was hospitalised for one-and-a-half years.

He has since undergone 30 surgeries, having lost his lips, part of his nose and his left ear in the fire.

Robert was listed for a face transplant in March 2018, but failed to find one which matched his skin tone, as only 14 per cent of deceased registered donors are black.

He previously turned down a donor because the skin was too fair.

But in July this year, he underwent an extensive 16-hour surgery, involving over 45 members of staff, to become the world’s first black and oldest ever patient to have a full face transplant.

Robert said: ‘This experience has been an incredible journey for me, filled at times with many challenges.

‘Today, however, I am thrilled to say that I’m on the road to recovery thanks to the incredible team of doctors and staff at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the love and support of my family and friends, and my unwavering faith.

‘May God bless the donor and his family who chose to donate this precious gift and give me a second chance.

‘Words cannot describe how I feel. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and feel very blessed to receive such an amazing gift.’

Bohdan Pomahac, Director of Plastic Surgery Transplantation at Brigham Health, said Robert is now ‘progressing and recovering remarkably fast’.

He continued: ‘We are looking forward to seeing a significant improvement in Robert’s quality of life.

‘Our previous experience has demonstrated that face transplantation is a viable option for patients with severe disfigurement and limited function who have no alternatives.

‘As we continue to expand this treatment to more patients, we are exploring the ways in which we can quantify how much benefit our patients receive as well as identifying opportunities to limit the risks of this transplant through new immunosuppression protocols.’

Alexandra Glazier, President and CEO of New England Donor Services, emphasised that it is ‘vitally important for individuals of all races and ethnicities’ to consider organ donation, including skin grafts.

She added: ‘Unlike internal organs, the skin tone of the donor may be important to finding a match.’

Got a story for Metro.co.uk?

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected]. For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article