This story is difficult to look at. Yet we are asking you to go on the remarkable journey of how a young woman received a face transplant because it reveals something profound about our humanity. Our face conveys who we are, telegraphing a kaleidoscope of emotions. It’s our doorway to the sensory world, allowing us to see, smell, taste, hear, and feel the breeze. Are we our faces? Katie Stubblefield lost hers when she was 18. When she was 21, doctors gave Katie a new face. This is a story of trauma, identity, resilience, devotion, and amazing medical miracles.
This story appears in the September 2018 issue of National Geographic magazine.
This story appears in the September 2018 issue of National Geographic magazine.
This content is Subscriber-Exclusive
You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article.
