9-year-old girl has disfiguring scar removed 5 years after traumatic car accident

A 9-year-old girl from eastern China's Shandong province has had a major scar removed five years after a car accident severely disfigured her face.

The girl, Liu Jiahui, lived with her father in the streets of Qingdao for three months in 2016, after her family became economically distressed due to expenses from the accident. Liu and her family, who earn a living by selling fruit, ultimately received enormous help from society after their story was spotlighted by the media.

In December 2016, a factory in Qingdao provided accommodation for the family and offered Liu's father a job. The support also allowed Liu to return to school, though she still held out hope that she could one day have the scar removed from her face. Liu disliked reliving the events of the accident each time her friends asked about the disfigurement.

Now, the little girl's dream has come true. An orthopedic hospital in Qingdao performed a scar removal surgery for Liu on April 6. In three months, a second surgery will be performed if her recovery continues to go well. By then, the scar will be nothing more than a fine line beside her mouth. Though the treatment would normally cost more than 100,000 RMB ($14,493), the expense is being covered by the hospital.