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Medical team in operating room

Source: kali9 / Getty

India Marshall has a head of full natural curls, that probably would have been shaved pre-surgery as she headed in to have the bone growths on her skull, called osteomas, removed. She searched long and hard for a surgeon who could perform the operation without making “ear incisions,” which would leave her with unsightly scars and ardous recovery process, reports YahooLife, who caught up with the young woman for a candid chat about her viral Twitter thread.

She found Dr. Jewel Greywoode, a Black surgeon in Charlotte, N.C., who specializes in ear, nose and throat physician who specializes in cosmetic and functional facial plastic surgery. He offered to do the surgery by going through her nasal passage.

“He addressed things that separated me from being just a patient and that humanized me,” India said. The surgeon shared India’s same concerns. He was trying to find the “best way to minimize scars, hair loss and numbness,” she explained.

So she proceeded with Greywoode, but still had fears about her billowing hair being in the way so she put some corn rows in her hair before hitting the operating table. “I shouldn’t have felt like this, but I felt like it would be a hassle. I just didn’t want to be a burden while he was trying to do the surgery.”

When India awoke from surgery, she noticed her braiding pattern was different and much neater. Greywoode had rebraided her hair in a certain pattern and given her staples to heal instead of stitches so he didn’t have to shave her head.

India, who had recently started her natural hair journey rejoiced and took to Twitter to sing his praises.

Greywoode, who is used to braiding his daughter’s hair, put his skills to good use.

“People don’t expect a lot of dads to be doing their daughter’s hair,” Greywoode told YahooLife.“I think it just goes a long way to show that yes, dads are involved. That’s the reason I do it — because it is a bonding time for me and the girls. I enjoy taking care of them.”

Greywoode’s Blackness and relationship with his daughters allowed him to empathize with India and her hair. With so many health disparities between Blacks and other races, this story is heartwarming and a reminder why we need more Black doctors.

Watch their interview, here.

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