Masha Halkina, the 14-year old Russian girl who received free reconstructive surgery from the Utah chapter of Operation Smile, went home Sunday afternoon after spending nearly six weeks in Utah.
Halkina's surgeries went well, said Linda Haddock, Utah Operation Smile chapter administrator. Skin was grafted onto her neck and under her arms to free up the muscles which were damaged in a burn injury years ago."She's excited about it," Haddock said. "Now she can look up at the sky and reach up above her head. She can do all the things the other kids her age can do."
No cosmetic surgery was done to change her appearance or remove the scars, Haddock said, but if the surgeries had not been done, Hal-kina's condition would have grown progressively worse.
"Contracted skin doesn't grow. So as she (Halkina) grew, it would have pulled even worse. It takes a long time for surgery like this to heal and to see the results. A year down the road she's going to look different than she does today."
Haddock said Halkina was a little nervous to go home, but excited.
She said Halkina had a wonderful experience in Utah and the experience was good for all those involved. She said Halkina has left "little warm fingerprints all over all our hearts. We'll never forget her."
"She's had a wonderful experience being here, and it's been a wonderful experience for all of us, to be able to share this with her," Haddock said.