Cameron Underwood, a grafted patient, talks about his recovery

• Cameron Underwood, of Yuba City, Calif., Was found with a disfigured face after a suicide attempt in June 2016.
• Eighteen months later, in January 2018, a facial graft was approved when a donor became available.
• Underwood is now thriving less than a year after the operation and has even skydived.

Eleven months after undergoing a revolutionary facial transplant, a 26-year-old Californian who lost his face after a suicide attempt reveals his recovery.

Cameron Underwood of Yuba City was seriously injured in the face when he attempted to commit suicide with a self-inflicted firearm in June 2016.

The gunshot wound Letting miss most of his lower jaw, his nose and all but one tooth, according to Langone Health of the University of New York.

Despite several surgeries, little could be done to save his face and Underwood was severely disfigured.

However, a few months later, he was put in contact with Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez of Langone Health, a renowned physician in facial reconstruction procedures, and was listed on a donor list.

Underwood waits for a new face for 18 months

In January 2018, a donor becomes available and Underwood travels 2,800 miles to New York – further than any other patient grafted to the face before him – to undergo his revolutionary operation.

The transplant, which occurred just 18 months after his injury, marked the shortest time between injury and facial grafting for a patient. His face took 25 hours to repair.

More: A 22-year-old woman, the youngest person in the United States to undergo a facial transplant, says she finally feels "again"

Barely 11 months after surgery, Underwood's recovery was remarkable.

His recovery was faster than any other case, Rodriguez said, and he even skydived.

At a press conference held on Friday, Underwood told the press that he was satisfied with the results of the transplant, according to DailyMail.com.

"Although I am still recovering and recovering from sensation and mobility, I am so happy with the results," he said. "I have a nose and a mouth again, so I'm able to smile, talk and eat solid foods, and I do not get as many looks or questions from strangers."

Rodriguez said in a press release that the short time between injury and surgery had allowed Underwood to recover quickly.

"Cameron has not lived with his injury for at least a decade, unlike most other facial transplants," he said. "As a result, he has not had to deal with many long-term psycho-social issues that often result in problems such as severe depression, substance abuse and other potentially dangerous behaviors."

Read more: After a hunting accident, a 65-year-old Canadian became the world's oldest facial transplant recipient.

There have been more than 40 face transplants worldwide since the first took place in France in 2005.

It is about the third facial transplant performed under the direction of Dr. Rodriguez and the second at Langone Health.

For the first time, Rodriguez and his team used a 3D printed card of the donor's face to restore the integrity of his face.

The donor was William Fisher, a 23-year-old filmmaker and chess champion who joined the list of organ donors as a teenager.

Parallel to what he gave to Underwood, he also donated his heart, kidneys, liver, eyes, and other tissues when he pbaded away. suddenly.

Donor's mother witnessed Underwood's recovery

Fisher's mother, Sally Fisher, said watching the recovery of Underwood had been a "source of strength" for her.

"I do not think I would have survived Will's death without Cameron Cameron has his whole life in front of him – and I love the idea that Willie helps him to have a better life, "she said in a statement. at NYU.

Sally Fisher and Underwood met earlier this year during an episode of the "20/20" ABC News broadcast.

"I know, you're beautiful," Fisher told Underwood. "I guess I'm a bit biased, I think you're beautiful to fall."

In the United States, most facial transplants are done through research grants primarily from the US Department of Defense, but Underwood Private Private Insurance covered significant costs related to surgery.

Like all other patients transplanted to the face, Underwood will continue to take anti-rejection medication throughout his life. Make sure your body does not reject the new tissue. Until now, his body has responded well to the transplant.

"We hope that my experience will inspire the hope of people with serious facial injuries, just like others who have preceded me," Underwood said in a press release. "The trip was not easy, but it was worth it."

Underwood spoke about his transplant less than two months after another transplant patient and suicide survivor, Katie Stubblefield, opened up on her own journey.

And in May, a 65-year-old Canadian, Maurice Desjardins, became the oldest person to receive a facial transplant after a hunting accident damaged his face.

If you or any of your acquaintances have a depression, or if you have had the idea of ​​hurting yourself or committing suicide, ask for help. The National Suicide Prevention Policy Line (1-800-273-8255) provides free, confidential and free support to people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to help with prevention and situations crisis.