WHAT:
UCLA Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center (San Antonio, TX) announce a new collaborative project, "Operation Mend," to help provide reconstructive plastic surgery to several Armed Service personnel wounded during service in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. Marine Cpl. Aaron P. Mankin, 25, is the first "wounded warrior" to participate in the program. Mankin will undergo the first major stage of facial reconstructive surgery on Oct. 2 at UCLA. The Katz Family Foundation is supporting all non-covered costs, such as travel and housing during treatment. A UCLA nurse, also a former military nurse, will present a "quilt of valor"—a military tradition—to Mankin handmade by a volunteer group of former military personnel.
WHO:
- Amir Dan Rubin, C.O.O., UCLA Medical Center
- Ronald A. Katz, The Katz Family Foundation
- Cpl. Aaron P. Mankin, United States Marine injured in Iraq
- Lance Corporal Marine Diana Mankin, and Maddie, 8 months, Mankin's wife and daughter
- Dr. Timothy Miller, professor and chief of plastic surgery, UCLA MedicalCenter
- Patti Taylor, UCLA nurse and former military nurse
WHEN:
12 p.m., Monday, Oct. 1.
WHERE:
UCLA Tiverton House, 900 Tiverton Ave., Westwood, 90024, (corner of Le Conte and Tiverton).
BACKGROUND:
UCLA advisory board member and philanthropist Ronald Katz helped forge a unique pilot program between UCLA Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) to help bring wounded warriors to UCLA for reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Timothy Miller, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at UCLA will lead the surgeries. Patients and their families will stay at the UCLA Tiverton House during their medical treatment, and the Katz Family Foundation is funding all uncovered costs involved in this program. Future plans include for additional BAMC patients to be identified for surgery and travel to UCLA when they are medically ready.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Amy Albin or Roxanne Moster, UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, (310) 794-0777.
PARKING: Underground parking is located on site, enter lot off of Tiverton. Oversized news vehicles can park next door at the Westwood Hills Christian Church, 10808 Le Conte, Westwood, 90024.
-UCLA-