LUTON’S child of courage, Shamiam Arif, is facing a ground-breaking 12-hour operation to insert a titanium plate in her head.
But it has been deferred until she has four baby teeth removed because of the danger of infection.
The Foxdell Junior pupil suffered life-threatening injuries when a candle fell into her cot when she was a baby. Her skull was burned down to the lining of her brain and she lost both hands.
Last week she underwent three days of intensive investigations covering all aspects of her head and neck.
Now a trio of eminent surgeons, backed by a specialist team, are poised to carry out the complex and difficult procedure at London’s world famous Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Consultant craniofacial surgeon Jonathan Britto said they had two choices when considering her future.
They could either take bone from another part of her head, split it in two and layer it over the gap, or perform a cranioplasty which involves screwing a metal plate into place covered with muscle taken from the patient’s back and artificial skin.
Mr Britto said: “There’s quite a lot of bone missing from her head so we decided on the cranioplasty.
“This will not only reduce the overall level of surgery but if there are problems when she is older, we will still have the option of using her own bone.”
The award-winning surgeon will be joined by Shamiam’s beloved ‘Uncle Doctor’ - renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon Peter Dziewulski – and GOSH’S lead consultant paediatric neurosurgeon Owase Jeelani, hailed by The Times as one of Britain’s top surgeons.
Shamiam faces many more operations including nose and ear reconstruction.
But she makes light of her disabilities with her huge zest for life.
> The Herald&Post has led the appeal to help cover her medical costs. Help us help her by sending a cheque to United for the Needy (Shamiam Arif Appeal), 146 Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 5JE.