Something to Smile About
As he read about Rachel Esser, a 27-year-old woman who was stricken with cancer at age two, his heart began to break. Her teeth, as a result of the radiation and chemotherapy treatments, were nothing but rootless nubs and her mother’s medical insurance would not cover dental implants. "For some strange reason the insurance company just decided that teeth were cosmetic," he says. Hasker knew he was reading this article for a reason. "This voice of God inside of me was telling me that I could do it…I could take care of Rachel’s situation," he says. So Hasker picked up the phone and called Joe Farrell, the author of the article. "I told him if he wanted to contact Rachel’s family then I’d be willing to talk to them about implants. It’s all history from there," he says. Though he now knew what his mission was, Hasker still had to figure out how to put together the rest of the pieces to the puzzle. A phone call to oral surgeon Dr. Paul Farrell was the first step. "He responded without hesitation," says Hasker. A few more phone calls yielded results as well. Straumann USA, a Swiss-owned dental implant manufacturer, donated approximately $10,000 in dental implants, as well as a set of small drills that could fit Rachel’s small mouth opening, stunted from childhood cancer treatments. Das Dental Labor Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla. volunteered to do the lab work, and the state Department of Welfare’s medical assistance program agreed to pay for the costs of the operating room and anesthesia. Everything was covered. Rachel’s family would not have to pay a dime. Now that the whole puzzle was together, Hasker says he did have some anxiety as he prepared for the surgery. "We’re pushing the envelope here," he says. Rachel’s tiny mouth, her medical history and not knowing the quantity and quality of her bone were all challenges that could have presented a problem, he says. But on October 14, 2002, after three practice surgeries on models, Hasker and Farrell performed phase one of the surgery with resounding success. Phase one included extraction of Rachel’s teeth, placement of the dental implants and placement of the temporary acrylic teeth. During phase two in January, Rachel will receive permanent teeth made of porcelain and gold. "Rachel is doing great," says Hasker. "She has a beautiful smile now with the temporaries and her attitude and behavior during the whole thing have just been extremely upbeat. She’s a great patient," he says. "Once the permanent teeth are in they will look like natural teeth. No one will know she’s gone through what she has." Although what he did, taking Rachel’s plight in his own hands, was extraordinary, a modest Hasker says he simply took God’s lead. "He guided this and allowed it to happen," he says. "Here was a girl who was just beaten up and beaten up by the system. She needed help and it was my time to step up to the plate." Hoping to have set an example for his kids, Geoffrey, 18, and Lauren, 14, Hasker says, "I can’t save the world but I could do this." -- Jennifer Post Stoudt |
