Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A US FIREFIGHTER who received a face transplant a year ago has said he feels normal again and even managed to swim for the first time in 15 years.
Patrick Hardison (42) from Senatobia, Mississippi, was disfigured when the roof of a burning home collapsed on top of him in 2001.
He underwent the complex surgery in New York in August 2015, when doctors told him he faced only a 50:50 chance of success.
“My family and I took a trip to Disney World this past June and I swam in the pool with them. That’s something I had not done in 15 years,” he told a news conference to mark the anniversary.
His new eyelids and ability to blink mean that his sight has improved and he can “once again drive a car” and sleep more soundly.
“No more stares from strangers. I’m pretty much back to being a normal guy, doing normal activities,” Hardison said.
He thanked his medical team and his family, saying he wanted to encourage other people to explore the possibility of getting a face transplant.
More than 100 doctors, nurses and medical support staff took part in the 26-hour transplant last August at the NYU Langone Medical Center.
His donor was David Rodebaugh, a 26-year-old award-winning BMX cyclist from Brooklyn, who died in a road accident. His mother agreed to organ donation.
Hardison has had several follow-up procedures over the last year, mainly to adjust his eyelids and lips, and to remove feeding and breathing tubes.
He is scheduled to meet Rodebaugh’s family this autumn, the hospital said.
Eduardo Rodriquez, who led the surgery, said he was amazed by his patient’s recovery, saying it had “surpassed all of our expectations”.
Face transplants have become increasingly common since the first, partial face transplant was carried out by doctors in France in 2005 on a woman who had been mauled by her dog.
Hardison will remain on immune suppressants for the rest of his life and still undergoes monthly check-ups in New York.
What abut their own website? Can’t see any cookies notification there either…
As far as I can see they only use 2 session cookies both of which are non-intrusive and expire at the end of the session. So they don’t need to display any alert.
Have they cookies?
They do! Every website needs to display this message, weather they have one or more cookies.
No, Jeroen, they don’t. See paragraph 5 of regulation 5 of SI 336 of 2011.
Thejournal.ie is on that list. say it ain’t so guys.
Never fear. The Data Protection Commissioner says: “The 80 websites in question were chosen at random as a representative sample of sites. Receipt of a letter does not indicate that a site has not achieved compliance with the law”.
Phew.
A word document? Really?
Well the Journal wrote an article about the Instagram storm in a teacup and yet has ignored this cookie privacy directive that has been around since mid-year. The article seems to be indicate that non-compliance is a bit of a laugh. The site also uses Google Analytics and there’s no specific reference to this in the Privacy Policy (there’s supposed to be a standard term as part of the agreement to use Google Analytics)
Perhaps the author of this article might like to ask the Journal management for a statement as to why they did not implement the requirements in July. Especially as it was well flagged.
Never got a cookie on Journl.ie
Brian – Just for the sake of clarification, our Cookies Policy (which is linked at the bottom of each page on the desktop and mobile sites) lists the full range of cookies used by the site or its various components.
Google Analytics is at the top of this list. http://www.thejournal.ie/cookies-policy/
Thank you for point ing this out. I was looking at the Privacy Policy. I don’t think I’ve seen a cookie policy as detailed as your own.
So with this level of transparency, why avoid the regulations?
I am assuming the journal will be replying in the affirmative to this letter. Cookies leave a bad taste in my mouth :(
How ironic that all these sites ask us for permission to accept cookies – and then they don’t use said cookies to remember our choice last time around… Oh the ironing
I have been implementing quit a lot of these scripts and the funny thing is that some offer a tickbox so you won’t be bothered again, with the result that….. a cookie is placed on your computer :-)
Yeah, it really shows the grasp some folk have on technology doesn’t it. Such a pointless law….
The Cookie Monster must of been working over time setting these rules,
lol a third of the sites are owned by the state…. Have to laugh at that!
What’s with the chocolate chip cookies in the picture!! Was the reporter on his 10 minute break, or is this story ironical!!
Unfortunately unlike the UK, there hasn’t been much guidance from the Data Protection Commissioner. A search on their website for cookie guidelines brings back nothing of interest
Om nom nom!
have your say