Carmen Blandin Tarleton: Face Transplant

May 1, 2013

• Watch and download video footage of the procedure
• Watch and download an animation of the procedure
• Download images of before and during the transplant
• Statement from the donor family 2.27.2013 
• Carmen's statement 2.27.2013
• Fact sheet
• Statement from the Department of Defense
• Bohdan Pomahac press conference talking points 5.1.2013
• Carmen Blandin Tarleton press conference statement 5.1.2013
• Watch the archived press conferece 5.1.2013

Carmen Blandin Tarleton is a 44-year-old registered nurse and mother of two from Thetford, Vermont.  On June 10, 2007, Carmen was brutally attacked by her estranged husband, beat and doused with industrial strength lye burning over 80 percent of her body.

Carmen was air lifted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where she was put into a medically-induced coma.  She underwent 38 surgeries over a three month period.  Over the next five years, Carmen had 17 additional surgeries including some to restore her sight. Despite this, she was left severely disfigured and legally blind.  On December 5, 2011, after a rigurous screening process she was approved for a face transplant and the New England Organ Bank began searching for a donor. 

In February 2013, a donor was identified and Carmen received a full face transplant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Carmen's donor is Cheryl Denelli Righter, who suffered a sudden stroke in early February 2013. Ms. Righter's daughter, Marinda Righter spoke at the May 1, 2013 press conference when Carmen revealed her new face. Also appearing (but not speaking) at the press conference were Brian Geraghty, Marinda's boyfriend, and Shelton Stein, Carmen's boyfriend.

Carmen recently published her first book titled, ‘Overcome: Burned, Blinded and Blessed'   To learn more about Carmen and her book, visit: http://www.overcomebook.com/

A charitable fund has been set up to help with Carmen with her expenses. To learn more, visit: http://drphilfoundation.org/carmen

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