An eight-year-old girl who was being suffocated by a gigantic tumour on her face can smile at last.
Triny Amuhirwe, from Uganda, flew to Britain to have the two-kilogram growth removed in a 15-hour operation.
Her mother Sarah, 30, said: "The growth had taken over her face and I couldn't bear to see her like that. Without help I knew she was going to die.
"When she came out of the operating room I can't tell you how happy I was - when I looked at her I couldn't believe the transformation."
Triny had lived with the rare tumour, called fibrous dysplasia, since she was four years old.
After a successful 15-hour surgery at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Triny met footballers, including Frank Lampard and Ramires, up the road at Stamford Bridge, home of her beloved Chelsea FC.
She said: "I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would get to see them in person - I had only seen them on TV."
The squad spent an hour and a half with Triny and her mother, chatting and taking pictures. The surgery was made possible by UK charity Facing the World, who flew Triny and from Uganda to the UK for treatment.
Although Triny has to face two more minor operations, she is looking forward to a bright future.
Her mother said: "When she went in for surgery I was terrified she might die because the tumour had already covered the whole of her face.
"She is now full of energy and full of life. I'm so grateful to all the doctors and the charity for the amazing work they did."
Triny added: "After my operation I feel really good. I can eat well and when I go home I'm looking forward to going back to school."
The surgery would have cost a staggering £65,000 but the surgical team agreed to give their time for free.
Graham Banton, director of Facing the World, said: "As a result of her surgery Tirny has the opportunity to shape her own future and having seen how intelligent and determined she is, all of us at Facing the World know she'll make the most of it."
• Each year the charity helps children with extreme facial disfigurements from all over the world. To donate visit www.facingtheworld.net