It was one of the most haunting images of the Vietnam War \u2014 a 9-year-old girl shown running down the road naked after being severely burned in a napalm bombing. The image taken by AP photographer Nick Ut earned a Pulitzer Prize and was chosen as the World Press Photo of the Year for 1972.<\/p>\n
Burned over 30 percent of her body, the girl in the photo, Kim Phuc, was not expected to survive. But, after a 14-month hospital stay and 17 surgical procedures including skin transplantations, she returned home. Years later she gained political asylum in Canada and established a foundation to provide medical and psychological assistance to child victims of war.<\/p>\n
Although she can hide the scars beneath long sleeves, her pain has continued unabated.<\/p>\n
But now she has a new chance to heal, thanks to Boonshoft School of Medicine alumna Jill Waibel \u201901, who also completed her residency in dermatology at Wright State. In September, Waibel began a series of laser treatments that she says will not only smooth and soften Phuc\u2019s scarring but also will relieve the deep aches and pains that accompany it.<\/p>\n
Media coverage:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Washington Post: Lasers may ease pain for \u2018napalm girl\u2019 in AP photograph<\/a><\/p>\n CBS News Sunday Morning: The girl in the picture<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It was one of the most haunting images of the Vietnam War \u2014 a 9-year-old girl shown running down the road naked after being severely burned in a napalm bombing. The image taken by AP photographer Nick Ut earned a … Continue reading