So we've got some time for some questions from our audience.
We're going to start over here.
I'm a high school guidance counselor, and first of all Katie,
I just want to say you are so beautiful, and I want to thank you
for your story and your life.
I know that your story, and your... your family sharing this
with everyone, will make a difference in other kid's lives.
So I think you will save lives because of yours.
I do want to say that, but I do also want to know,
as a school counselor working with young people,
do you have any advice for us in working with young people
and for the young people as well?
I would say working with young people.
I've been in education for several years, and prior to that
I had been a minister for 20 years and dealt with young people
and family situations and so forth.
I think the first thing that is of the most importance,
no matter what, the need of the young person is...
is somebody needs to listen to them. Take them seriously
and not blowing them off and what their needs might be,
but somebody is looking for anybody... not just to listen
but also to ask them a simple thing... how are you doing?
Give them an opportunity to express that and to verbalize that.
And sometimes in nonverbal expressions as well, too.
But I think that's the most important thing,
first and foremost, is to listen.
Can I ask Katie...
do you have advice for this high school guidance counselor,
to, you know, so she can be more informed
in dealing with troubled young people
or people who are having a tough moment?
[Inaudible]
Just that, to be... to listen to them and take time
no matter what it is that they're coming to you about,
it means so much to them.
Thank you for that question.
And on this side we had another question.
Yes, I'd like to know Dr. Papay,
what is the future of face transplants?
You talked about the funding from the Department of Defense
coming to an end. What is the future for other people
like Katie for face transplants?
Well, this is our third face transplant.
And again, as was said before, there's 40 that have
been done worldwide, and so technically, you know,
surgically it can be done, and I think with...
with, you know, this collaborative team that we've created,
you know, we would be more than happy to do another.
But the key is how, as we approach the expense of this,
how will it be supported? So, you know, our hopes are
is that the Department of Defense and other government grants
will support this. We're excited that, you know,
potentially these third party payers may pick up
a hand transplant maybe down the road, that will
translate once they find the value of doing a face transplant.
But the key is not really the surgical techniques, OK?
We've got, you know, we've got 11 great surgeons here
at the Cleveland Clinic then, as a team we can complete that.
The key is, again, that immune tolerance and the research
that's going throughout the United States and the world.
How do you allow to tolerate somebody else's tissue
with all the other side effects?
There's some experimentation going around.
There's some trials that are going on.
We're not quite there yet but that is the key to me.
Thank you.
Sir?
I have a follow up question for Dr. Papay -
How do you, as a team, since this is not an everyday occurrence
clearly use resources and things available
at Cleveland Clinic to prepare for this?
I noted in the documentary
you were practicing and trying to get ready for it
but the fact that you were able to pull it off is just miraculous
but what do you do to get to get ready?
Well again it's... it's a collective process from, you know,
50 different subspecialties, hundreds of different people
and you have to ask, I mean, we were fortunate
with Connie Culp and having a CEO Toby Cosgrove
to support us and to really, you know, Dr. Cosgrove,
in and of himself is an innovator so, you know,
we had a leader who allowed us to do this.
We had an IRB and an ethics team that said
it was OK to proceed.
We had a scientific background
by Dr. Siemionow that, for 20 years at least,
in the animal lab this proved it.
So, you know, the stars were aligned,
but you have to align the incentives
of everybody and collectively produce what I call
this collaborative genius to work together seamlessly.
And I think places like the Cleveland Clinic, where...
where you can align that, and you have leaders
that really allow you to proceed, you know,
there's not too many places like this,
so you know, it's not us, you know.
We're not all virtuosos in surgery but it's
the collective action of us all
together from the top on down
that, that really makes the big difference.
It's the secret sauce of the Cleveland Clinic.
Yes, we have one more question over here, I'm sorry.
Hi, Kristen Morris at the Cleveland Clinic,
and I just wanted to ask about the investment
that the National Geographic made in a story like this.
I mean we don't see a lot of media that goes into this level
of depth and detail, and I just thought I'd ask you
to share what your philosophy is, and is this going to be
one of the last times we're going to see
this kind of in-depth reporting?
Oh well thank you, thank you for that question.
No, it certainly isn't.
I mean, this is the kind... this story is an exceptional story
because of the bravery of the people because of the humanity,
because of the science brought to life.
But, you know, we are always trying at National Geographic
and have for 130 years, to tell deep rich global stories,
you know, stories that make a difference that can
move people's hearts that can get people to take action
to make the world a better place.
And so this is really the essence of what we do.
Of course the way we tell those stories has changed
over the years, you know, we used to be only a monthly magazine.
Now we operate across all platforms
and as other platforms make themselves available
to tell stories, we'll tell stories on those platforms too.
Because I think that as a storyteller, and I'm sure maybe
Joanna and Kurt would agree with me, this is both
the most challenging time that we've ever had,
because of... the business model is changing because
it's so hard to cut through the blizzard of information.
But it's also got so much opportunity
to reach new audiences in ways that we never could before.
And so, when... when we have the opportunity like this
with a family that, you know, lets us into
their lives and we are blessed
to have that - with the surgeons that let us in
and really educated us.
I think it does show the opportunities of storytelling
that exists now and into the future.
Thank you for asking.
And I just want to bring this to a close.
I am so grateful for everybody at the clinic.
We're going to hear again from Dr. Mihaljevic
but I didn't want to end completely
without thanking Dr. Cosgrove.
This...this all came about because,
about four years ago at an event,
after I had left the Plain Dealer,
I ran into Dr. Cosgrove just out of the blue.
And we started talking about whether there was
something going on that we could work together on.
And of course he's very proper, and so he said,
"Well, I can't tell you about anything right now,
but I may have something coming up that you
might be interested in," and I know he came back
to the clinic then, and talked to the Stubblefields,
talked to... talked to the team here,
and that is how this story came to be.
And we are very grateful to you,
for that trust that you had in us.
Thank you all.
[applause]
And now we are going to invite Dr. Mihaljevic
back to close our evening.
Thank you very much.
I would like to thank, first and foremost,
Katie and her family for sharing your wonderful story
of love and resilience over a long, long journey
back to... back to health.
I would like to thank our friends at National Geographic
for being here and allowing us and Katie's family
to tell a story to the world.
But I would also like to allow,
given this opportunity, to many, many caregivers
who have touched Katie and her family along...
along this journey.
There are hundreds and hundreds
of Cleveland Clinic caregivers who participated
in her care and very many of you are here this evening.
So I'd like to ask those who have taken care of Katie
to stand up and be recognized.
[Applause]
So thank you for being here this evening.
Thank all of our caregivers, for their wonderful work
and have a good night.
Thank you.