4 the Greater Good: ACH Cleft Clinic
By:
Updated: September 17, 2012
Around 1 in every 700 babies are born with cleft lip, requiring years of treatment and multiple surgeries.
Like lots of kids her age, Mary Grace Krisell already knows how to play games on the iPad. But her smile didn't come as easily.
"Both sides of her lip were open and the top roof of her mouth had nothing there," said Kammy Krisell, Mary Grace's mother.
When Krisell adopted Mary Grace from China, she was two years old, and her cleft lip and palate had gone unrepaired.
"Had she not had the pallett repair, she would not be able to speak clearly at all," said Krisell.
Her care at Arkansas Children's Hospital is a bit unique. The Cleft and Craniofacial Anomalies Team includes different pediatric specialists who come together to treat patients like Mary Grace, giving them a complete look at her overall health.
"The whole team works together and we conference together so that these kids are teaken care of as best as possible," said Dr. Larry Hartzell.
Mary Grace is now undergoing speech therapy and will have her next major surgery around age 8.
Krisell said, "We've got a lifetime of surgeries ahead of us. She will probably not be finished with this process until she's in her late teenage years."
"I can't say enough good things about the work they do at Children's," she said. "They have done a miracle for her, and it's going to make me cry."
The Krisells are just one of around 700 families under the care of this special team at Children's right now.
Proceeds from an upcoming golf tournament will help buy equipment for the Cleft and Craniofacial Anomalies Team at ACH and help patients who can't afford their treatment.
The 7th annual Wendelyn's Course of Dreams will be held October 29th at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. It's a 4 person scramble with a noon shot gun start. Lunch prior to sendoff will be provided by 1620. For more information, contact Wendelyn Osborne at (870) 245-9359 or email wendelynosborne@gmail.com. Please reference the tourney in the subject line.
The deadline to sign up is Monday, October 15th.
Like lots of kids her age, Mary Grace Krisell already knows how to play games on the iPad. But her smile didn't come as easily.
"Both sides of her lip were open and the top roof of her mouth had nothing there," said Kammy Krisell, Mary Grace's mother.
When Krisell adopted Mary Grace from China, she was two years old, and her cleft lip and palate had gone unrepaired.
"Had she not had the pallett repair, she would not be able to speak clearly at all," said Krisell.
Her care at Arkansas Children's Hospital is a bit unique. The Cleft and Craniofacial Anomalies Team includes different pediatric specialists who come together to treat patients like Mary Grace, giving them a complete look at her overall health.
"The whole team works together and we conference together so that these kids are teaken care of as best as possible," said Dr. Larry Hartzell.
Mary Grace is now undergoing speech therapy and will have her next major surgery around age 8.
Krisell said, "We've got a lifetime of surgeries ahead of us. She will probably not be finished with this process until she's in her late teenage years."
"I can't say enough good things about the work they do at Children's," she said. "They have done a miracle for her, and it's going to make me cry."
The Krisells are just one of around 700 families under the care of this special team at Children's right now.
Proceeds from an upcoming golf tournament will help buy equipment for the Cleft and Craniofacial Anomalies Team at ACH and help patients who can't afford their treatment.
The 7th annual Wendelyn's Course of Dreams will be held October 29th at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. It's a 4 person scramble with a noon shot gun start. Lunch prior to sendoff will be provided by 1620. For more information, contact Wendelyn Osborne at (870) 245-9359 or email wendelynosborne@gmail.com. Please reference the tourney in the subject line.
The deadline to sign up is Monday, October 15th.
