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Marni Castor

Marni Castor was only three years old when her flannel nightgown caught fire as she was reaching above the stove to get some playing cards from the cupboard. Over 75 percent of her body was severly burned. In approximately 100 operations, Marni endured multiple skin grafts to keep her alive and functioning, but she went through most of her life without reconstructive surgery, simply accepting the horrible scars that covered her body.

"I hated the way I looked," she says, remembering how different and alone she always felt. "Kids, and sometimes even adults, would tease me, tell me how ugly I was. Naturally, this was extremely painful. Even I couldn't stand to look at myself in the mirror. But I didn't know that I could do anything to improve my appearance. I didn't know I had a choice."

In April, 1992, Marni underwent a 14-hour operation at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. All the scar tissue from the left half of her face was removed and a precisely patterned block of tissue, taken from her back, was microsurgically transferred to her face. The segment of tissue was moved on its artery so that the circulation was immediate, and then sculpted to match Marni's normal facial shape. During another 14-hour surgery in September, 1992 her lips and chin were reconstructed using a patterned block of tissue from her forearm.
The journey to New York was not an easy undertaking for Marni. Friends and family in small Santa Maria, California, held community barbecues and bake sales to raise funds for her and her mother's transportation to New York City.

Marni attended her 10th high school reunion this summer, couldn't wait to show off her new face. "For the first time in my life, I actually want people to see me. And I'm excited to make something of my life now. Before I had the surgery, I was too inhibited and uncomfortable with myself to do anything with my life. For example, I didn't stay in college because I felt so different from everyone else there. I've stayed in my job as a grocery cashier for eight years because everyone in the store has gotten used to the way I look and they all treat me well. Even though I knew I could get a better job, I was too afraid to start over, to risk people not accepting me. As soon as I have my next operation, however, I'm going back to college. I now have the confidence to really start living my life to the fullest."

Marni currently lives in Santa Maria, California.