At their 24-week ultrasound, Sara Heller was informed of a complication in her pregnancy. She was informed that her unborn baby boy, which she had already named Brody, had a bilateral cleft lip and palate. The doctor told her that he would be born with this deformation, and that it could cause him issues with his health. Prepared for what would come, Sara gave birth to little Brody and fell in love the moment she saw him.
“It is OK to be proud of your baby no matter the circumstances,” Sara said.
“We wanted to change what ultrasound/newborn/first year pictures on our Facebook/Instagram accounts looked like. We wanted to spread awareness of cleft lips and palates.”
Cleft lips and palate can make it hard for a baby to eat, drink, smile, and sometimes even to breathe.
Sara received plenty of messages asking what was wrong with her baby’s face, but used those questions as the perfect way to educate others.
“I decided to educate rather than create a confrontation because that is what I want Brody to do in the future,” she said. “I will want him to educate, to be an advocate for younger cleft kids who don’t have their own voice yet.”
Through it all, there have been outstanding acts of kindness Sara has witnessed. A stranger in a restaurant handed her a folded piece of paper containing a check for $1,000. A note with it read, “for the beautiful baby.”
Sara put the money towards Brody’s medical expenses, and the surgery he needed to repair his lip.
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Post church pic because we are so happy that Stephanie and Trevor were baptized this morning. ❤️?⛪️
Last year, Brody underwent the surgery, and is now recovering well. Though he will likely have to undergo a few more surgeries still, he’s very happy and content.
