thedrifter
08-23-09, 08:37 AM
Published Friday, August 14, 2009 10:20 PM PDT
Topstory
Surgery for those in service
Plastic surgeon has performed work free for those who served the country, and their families. He hopes others will do the same.
By Brianna Bailey
For years, Angela Mendez, whose husband is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. at Camp Pendleton, couldn’t wear low-cut tops or certain kinds of T-shirts.
The breast implants Mendez, a registered nurse and mother of three, got several years ago were covered in painful scar tissue. The implants were lopsided, and one began to shift, eventually almost protruding out of her chest.
“A lot of military families can’t afford surgery like this,” Mendez said. “I couldn’t afford to get it fixed on my own.”
Newport Beach plastic surgeon George Brennan fixed Mendez’s implants for free earlier this year. Today, Mendez can wear the clothes she wants and says she feels better about herself. The doctor has dreams of taking his program to give free plastic surgery to U.S. military personnel and their family members nationwide.
“My husband is happy because he can tell I’m happy and I have more self confidence,” Mendez said. Her husband, Jesus, just returned in July from spending six months at sea with an emergency response team.
Brennan has performed about a dozen cosmetic procedures on U.S. military personnel and their family members in the past year, ranging from breast augmentation to nose jobs.
“If a 17-year-old in Newport Beach doesn’t like her nose, her parents can bring her into the office and get it fixed,” Brennan said. “What we want to do is give U.S. service members the same privilege.”
Brennan has also been instrumental in setting up a network of plastic surgeons across the country who perform free surgeries for victims of domestic violence. The program has garnered national media attention and was once profiled on the ABC’s “20/20.”
Brennan hopes to eventually set up a similar network of plastic surgeons willing to perform free procedures on U.S. servicemen and women and their family members.
“This is not a political statement — our philosophy is that people in uniform who put their lives on the line and procure our freedom deserve a little recompense,” Brennan said.
Jeremiah Dupin, a 23-year-old Marine sergeant from Kansas City, Mo., heard about Brennan’s offer of free plastic surgery for service members from a social services coordinator at Camp Pendleton earlier this year.
Dupin served seven months with an infantry unit in Iraq’s Al Anbar province from July 2007 to February 2008, but the scars on his face he went to Brennan to fix came from his childhood.
Dupin was 3 when he threw open the rear door of the van his father was driving to try and get in the front seat with his mother. The van was traveling at a speed of about 30 mph. The left side of Dupin’s face hit the pavement when he fell out, leaving him with two parallel scars about two inches apart that trail off the end of his mouth.
Brennan was able to reduce Dupin’s scarring earlier this year by making an incision on each of his scars and pulling the skin down.
Today, Dupin’s scars are less noticeable, although he still has some redness on the side of his face. The doctor has offered to use laser treatments on Dupin to help him with the problem.
“A lot of military members can’t afford plastic surgery with the money we make,” Dupin said. “[Brennan] seemed like he really knew what he was doing. I’m really glad I got hooked up with the program.”
FYI
For more information about plastic surgeon Dr. George Brennan’s program for military service members and their families, call or visit his office at 400 Newport Center Drive, (949) 644-1641.
Ellie
Topstory
Surgery for those in service
Plastic surgeon has performed work free for those who served the country, and their families. He hopes others will do the same.
By Brianna Bailey
For years, Angela Mendez, whose husband is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. at Camp Pendleton, couldn’t wear low-cut tops or certain kinds of T-shirts.
The breast implants Mendez, a registered nurse and mother of three, got several years ago were covered in painful scar tissue. The implants were lopsided, and one began to shift, eventually almost protruding out of her chest.
“A lot of military families can’t afford surgery like this,” Mendez said. “I couldn’t afford to get it fixed on my own.”
Newport Beach plastic surgeon George Brennan fixed Mendez’s implants for free earlier this year. Today, Mendez can wear the clothes she wants and says she feels better about herself. The doctor has dreams of taking his program to give free plastic surgery to U.S. military personnel and their family members nationwide.
“My husband is happy because he can tell I’m happy and I have more self confidence,” Mendez said. Her husband, Jesus, just returned in July from spending six months at sea with an emergency response team.
Brennan has performed about a dozen cosmetic procedures on U.S. military personnel and their family members in the past year, ranging from breast augmentation to nose jobs.
“If a 17-year-old in Newport Beach doesn’t like her nose, her parents can bring her into the office and get it fixed,” Brennan said. “What we want to do is give U.S. service members the same privilege.”
Brennan has also been instrumental in setting up a network of plastic surgeons across the country who perform free surgeries for victims of domestic violence. The program has garnered national media attention and was once profiled on the ABC’s “20/20.”
Brennan hopes to eventually set up a similar network of plastic surgeons willing to perform free procedures on U.S. servicemen and women and their family members.
“This is not a political statement — our philosophy is that people in uniform who put their lives on the line and procure our freedom deserve a little recompense,” Brennan said.
Jeremiah Dupin, a 23-year-old Marine sergeant from Kansas City, Mo., heard about Brennan’s offer of free plastic surgery for service members from a social services coordinator at Camp Pendleton earlier this year.
Dupin served seven months with an infantry unit in Iraq’s Al Anbar province from July 2007 to February 2008, but the scars on his face he went to Brennan to fix came from his childhood.
Dupin was 3 when he threw open the rear door of the van his father was driving to try and get in the front seat with his mother. The van was traveling at a speed of about 30 mph. The left side of Dupin’s face hit the pavement when he fell out, leaving him with two parallel scars about two inches apart that trail off the end of his mouth.
Brennan was able to reduce Dupin’s scarring earlier this year by making an incision on each of his scars and pulling the skin down.
Today, Dupin’s scars are less noticeable, although he still has some redness on the side of his face. The doctor has offered to use laser treatments on Dupin to help him with the problem.
“A lot of military members can’t afford plastic surgery with the money we make,” Dupin said. “[Brennan] seemed like he really knew what he was doing. I’m really glad I got hooked up with the program.”
FYI
For more information about plastic surgeon Dr. George Brennan’s program for military service members and their families, call or visit his office at 400 Newport Center Drive, (949) 644-1641.
Ellie