Blessing Makwera from Zimbabwe, Africa-prior to surgery (Credit PRLog)
A 20-year-old man who lost his jaw, teeth and tongue in an explosion in his native Zimbabwe five years ago is scheduled to visit the San Diego Zoo today — two days before he begins a series of reconstructive surgeries at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
Blessing Makwera was 15 years old when he stuck a cell phone battery in his mouth to free his hands while also tinkering with wires and a detonator, and the battery exploded, according to a profile in an episode of the television program “Inside Africa” on CNN.
A nonprofit organization called Operation of Hope, which is headquartered in the Orange County city of Lake Forest, has partnered with Sharp Healthcare to provide three surgeries over the next six months that Makwera hopes will allow him to speak, chew and swallow more easily.
A surgical team led by physicians Joel Berger and Thomas Vecchione will perform the operations, according to Sharp Healthcare.
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