Emily was born with Pierre-Robin sequence, a condition present at birth which tends to cause a small jaw, a tongue that is displaced back towards the throat and a cleft palate. She had to spend the first two weeks of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit because these factors made it difficult for her to eat, and therefore thrive.

Emily’s parents brought her to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where they met with Dr. Chad Perlyn, who made them feel reassured that they had brought their daughter to the right place. When she was just 1 year old, Emily underwent surgery to repair her cleft palate, and since then her life has completely turned around.

Today, she is a lively 2-year-old attending preschool, and continues receiving therapy so she can keep on thriving. Emily’s family is so grateful for the care she received that they decided to give back by supporting Camp Superstar, a sleep-away camp for children who are affected by craniofacial differences.
You can support healthier, happier children like Emily by making a donation today and by viewing this inspiring story at www.mchf.org/emily.