A Vietnamese girl with a 16-pound facial tumor is in Miami awaiting surgery that will restore her ability to eat and speak.
Fifteen-year-old Lai Thi Dao suffers from a Schwannoma tumor that has been growing since she was 3. The tumor has severely disfigured her face and kept her from ever attending school.
Click here for a video and photos of Lai Thi Dao.
Doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital say the tumor threatens to suffocate Lai. They will remove the tumor in a 10-hour surgery on April 29.
Schwannoma tumors are usually benign. Lai's doctors say the size of her tumor is extremely rare, but it probably won't return once it's removed.
The teen hopes to finally attend school once she recovers and returns to Vietnam.
The International Kids Fund is seeking donations to fund Lai's surgery.
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