08/06/2023
Known as the "father of modern plastic surgery," Dr. Harold Gillies worked tirelessly to help soldiers who suffered facial injuries during World War I. After convincing the British War Office to open a hospital devoted to facial reconstruction, Gillies performed more than 11,000 operations for over 5,000 men from 1917 to 1925. Despite having no textbooks or mentors to guide him, the surgeon pioneered several new skin grafting techniques to help rebuild veterans' faces. And at a time when society shunned maimed veterans, Gillies gave them a better chance at a happy civilian life. As his biographer put it: "What Harold Gillies is able to do for these men is not just mend their broken faces, but also mend their broken spirits."
See more stunning before-and-after pictures of soldiers who were helped by Dr. Harold Gillies: https://bit.ly/3RFHAm1
