There are
few periods in your life that can compare to the excitement of expecting a
baby.
Of course,
at the same time, knowing you’re pregnant – or that your wife is – can also
bring nerves and anxiety.
What if
something is wrong with the baby? What if there are complications when it comes
to the birth? Obviously no one likes to consider these things, but, as they
say, forewarned is forearmed.
So it was
with one young couple expecting their son, who they planned to name Brody. At
their 24-week ultrasound, the were informed of a complication. The doctor then
asked them if they wanted to abort the baby or consider other options …
Sara Heller
and her partner Chris were informed that Brody had a bilateral cleft lip and
palate. The doctor told them that he would be born with this deformation, and
that it could cause him issues with his health.
The doctor
then proceeded to ask them if they wanted to keep him.
For Sara and
Chris, it wasn’t a question at all. Of course they wanted to keep their baby!
They didn’t care if he looked different, and were ready to provide the help he
might need if he encountered problems with his health after being born.
What’s more,
it was their aim to spread awareness of deformities and defects that can affect
newborns.
“It is OK to
be proud of your baby no matter the circumstances,” Sara said, as per
HeartEternal.
“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.”
Of course,
that’s not to say Brody’s condition didn’t require extra care. 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 them 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.”
However,
there have been instances of outstanding kindness that Sara has witnessed too.
She told how 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 and
Chris put the money towards Brody’s medical expenses, and the surgery he needed
to repair his lip.
Last year,
the little boy underwent said surgery, and is now recovering well. Though he
will likely have to undergo a few more surgeries yet, he’s happy and content.
Little Brody is adorable! Sara and Chris. . . God is smiling down on you because you made the right choice. God bless all three of you.
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