Operation Restore through the ISHRS – Physician donating their time to help people in need

Hanna was born 15 weeks premature and given only a five percent chance to live. The difficult birth resulted in severe bruising on her head and lead to lifelong scarring that destroyed the hair follicles on her scalp.

Hanna knew from a young age that her hair loss made her different. From being called a “monster” by classmates, to getting dollars from complete strangers in restaurants who assumed she was battling cancer, Hanna’s hair loss drew unwanted attention wherever she went. On the first day of kindergarten, Hanna told her classmates “Don’t look at my head, look at my heart. I will be good to you, you be good to me.”

Despite being turned down by their insurance company twice, Hanna’s family was determined to find a way to correct her appearance. They learned of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery’s Operation Restore program. Operation Restore is a pro bono program designed to match prospective hair restoration patients suffering from hair loss, as a result of an accident, trauma or disease, with a physician willing to help those who lack the resources to obtain treatment on their own.

Hanna was matched with Dr. Bill Parsley. He performed three surgeries over three years at no cost. These procedures restored Hanna’s hair, which in turn, restored her self-esteem.