Following a stroke in 2015, Jarmilla “Jarm” Hawes was left with one side of her face severely paralyzed. Myriam Loyo Li, M.D., at OHSU, was able to transfer nerves from one side of Hawes’ face and tongue to the other, which eventually allowed Hawes to regain some movement and the ability to smile.
Hawes, 56, suffered a hemorrhagic stroke in September 2015 that left her face paralyzed. She hardly laughed, she struggled to enunciate. She couldn’t smile.
Several doctors told her nothing could be done until she was referred to OHSU Hospital’s Dr. Miryiam Loyo Li, a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Loyo Li is part of OHSU’s new Facial Nerve Center. The clinic is almost a year old and is focused on restoring more normal function and appearance to people with weakness or paralysis in their face, such as those who have suffered strokes, head and neck tumors or Bell’s palsy.
