Miami doctors prepare to operate on girl with 16-pound tumor

A Vietnamese girl with a 16-pound facial tumor is in Miami awaiting surgery to 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.

Doctors at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center say the tumor threatens to suffocate Lai. They will remove it 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 and that it likely won't return once it's removed.

The International Kids Fund is seeking donations to fund Lai's surgery.

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On the Net:

International Kids Fund: http://www.internationalkidsfund.org