Life can be so unfair for some of us and yet there is always hope to believe things will get better. At least this is what a 15-year-old Vietnamese girl, who is about to have surgery to remove a 16-pound facial tumor in order to restore her ability to eat and speak, would say.

Lai Thu Dao suffers from a Schwannoma tumor that has been growing since she was three. As it became bigger and bigger, the tumor gradually consumed the lower part of her face, making normal tasks such as talking, eating, drinking and sleeping to become increasingly difficult. Moreover, the girl has never been to school.

The tumor could have been removed years ago, but Lai had little access to medical care where she lived, leaving the tumor to disfigure her. However, the situation is about to change, as a team of surgeons at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center is preparing to remove the tumor in a 10-hours surgery on April 29.

They said the size of the girl’s tumor is extremely rare and it likely won’t return once it’s removed, the Associated Press reported. These types of tumors are usually benign.

The International Kids Fund is trying to gather up donations to help fund the girl’s surgery through its Web site.

Once the tumor removed, Lai will be able to go to school and catch up on her childhood’s activities.