Posted online: Jun 22nd, 2009

By Teresa McGowan
Reporter

AFTER eight major operations stretching over two years and costing over €1 million, Alan Doherty’s new appearance is not what he had hoped for.
Young Alan (19) was promised that his life would be transformed after a series of lengthy and painful operations in the US.
However, he is now disappointed about his appearance and is particularly self conscious about deep scarring on his back and groin.
Bones were taken from Alan’s thighs and implanted into his back before being removed to help shape his new jaw but the scars are still very apparent.
“They left it in a mess,” Alan told the Post. “I’m not sure if I’d go through it again.”
“The surgery was completed but when Alan was swimming someone asked him when he was going to get the rest of his back finished. That really upset him,” Danny Doherty, Alan’s dad, told the Post.
The family also say that the finished result on Alan’s chin is a far-sight from what they were promised by the surgeons in the US.
An implant which had been inserted in Alan’s jaw and which dramatically improved his appearance became infected and was never replaced.
“We were told to wait for six months to see the final results but it hasn’t gone the way were lead to believe.
“We were reluctant to say anything because we didn’t want to seem ungrateful at the time,” added Danny, “but he looks nothing like the computer-generated images we were shown at the outset in the hospital.”
The family will return to the US on July 5th to meet with the surgeons and it is expected that yet more surgery will be suggested.
“I’m not sure if I’d get more surgery,” said Alan, “I don’t mind the operations but the waiting around after is very hard.”