Members of O’Connor Hospital, the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose (Sr. Linh belongs to this order), and the Vietnamese and Catholic community pulled together, pooling funds and coordinating the many details it took to fly Hòa and her father to San Jose. Prior to this trip, Hòa had never traveled from her village. Kiệt Hà, director of business development at O’Connor Hospital, led the coordinated effort.

According to Hòa’s physicians, because of the potential of infection due to the exposed tumor on the back of her head, it's amazing she has lived this long. She wears a hat every day of her life.

Before any operations could be performed, the physicians requested lab work, a CT scan and an MRI. Additionally, Hòa needed to gain 10 to 15 pounds before she could safely endure the extensive surgeries.

The First Procedure - Thursday, Nov. 15 at 9:00 AM at O’Connor Hospital - Plastic surgeon Hiền Nguyễn will place tissue expanders under Hòa’s skin to expand her skin. Weekly inflating of the expanders will take place in Dr. Hiền Nguyễn’s office on an outpatient basis.

The Second Procedure: Neurosurgeon Peter Nguyễn will resect the tumor, remove the expanders, and close the defect by placing a cement “cap” over the exposed opening.

The Third Procedure: Another plastic surgery will be performed to complete the process. This will involve, among other things, skin regeneration and hair replacement.

O’Connor Hospital surgeons and anesthesiologists are performing the procedures free of charge. The hospital is donating all of its services, including the operating room, the CT scan, MRI scan and laboratory fees. The tissue expanders are also being donated.

Hòa Nguyễn is currently staying with Sr. Linh’s family.

Encephalocele, sometimes known by the Latin name cranium bifidum, is a neural tube defect characterized by sac-like protrusions of the brain and the membranes that cover it through openings in the skull. These defects are caused by failure of the neural tube to close completely during fetal development.[1]There have been studies and evidence linking NTD's to folic acid deficiency. The severity of encephalocele varies, depending on the location. Currently, the only effective treatments are reparative surgeries following birth. The degree to which they can be corrected varies greatly on where and how big the encephalocele is.

About O’Connor Hospital: Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, O’Connor Hospital is an acute care, not-for-profit, Catholic community hospital that has served the South San Francisco Bay longer than any other hospital in the region. Key services at O’Connor include cardiology, oncology, mother-baby care, orthopedic services, vascular care, wound care and emergency services. O'Connor Hospital sponsors the Pediatric Center for Life, Parish Nursing programs, and the Stanford-affiliated Family Medicine Residency Program. The hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Department of Health Services and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. O’Connor is a Joint Commission designated Primary Stroke Center and a recipient of the 2006 Excellence in Patient Safety and Health Care Quality Award by The Leapfrog Group.