Grethell, jaw tumor

Before

After

Grethell is a beautiful seven year old girl from Nicaragua who has Ameloblastoma, which is a rare non-cancerous tumor that developed in her jaw. She had her first very complicated 23 hour surgery with an excellent team of doctors at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital on January 19, 2024. The team of surgeons had been practicing with a 3D model of her mouth for weeks planning how best to remove this tumor to save her jaw so she wouldn't have to live with a feeding tube the rest of her life. The doctors were successful in carefully removing the tumor first and then prepared her mouth with muscle implants taken from her legs to prepare her jaw for implants. They built the jaw slightly larger to take into account her growing. When she is a bit older it will be the perfect size. It is her dream to look like her sister and she will soon get her wish thanks to all of her wonderful donors who have made this dream come true for her.

Katera, congenital scoliosis

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After

Karetra is a 17-year-old girl from the Bahamas who was born with congenital scoliosis. As you can see in her before picture, it became quite severe and quite obvious. She was missing a lot of school because of how bad the other kids were teasing her. Karetra was thrilled to hear that Dr Stephen George at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital would be able to make her back straight. On August 21, 2023 she had her surgery that was a huge success. Katetra is thankful for this huge improvement of her appearance and is thrilled to go back to the Bahamas to show her friends and family and continue to heal. As you can see in her after picture, she looks beautiful and so very happy. She wanted us to thank all the donors who helped make her dream come true. This was really a big deal for this beautiful girl.

Fabricio, leg correction

Before

After

Fabricio is an eleven year old boy from Colombia who was born with Cerebral Palsy. When he came to Child Foundation in December 2022 his knees grew into being frozen into a bent position, he was hunched over and unable to walk. He had surgery at Nicklaus Children's Hospital to correct his knee alignment, lengthen his hamstring and to improve his persistent crouched gait. He is currently having physical therapy 4 times a week and is standing up straight and walking with a walker gaining strength so soon will be walking unassisted which will be his dream come true. His beautiful smile on the after picture tells it all.

Alessa, collapsed nose

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After

Alessa is a 7 yr old from Nicaragua who was born premature. The local doctors left her oxygen cannula in her nose until it became badly infected. They were unable to easily remove it so the doctors just pulled it out. Of course, her septum and cartilages all came out as well causing her nose to cave in so she was unable to breath through it. A very talented team of doctors at Nicklaus Childrens Hospital lead by Dr Chad Perlyn performed 7 surgeries on her off & on during the Covid shutdowns from January to September . It is incredible that not only does she look so much better, but the fact that she can now breathe through her nose which allowed her voice to be so much clearer is such a game changer for her.

Djonsly, tumor against his eye socket

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After

Djonsly has been here from Haiti since February. The doctors removed the benign tumors in his head and shifted his eye back into the socket. He is ecstatic with his results so far and they will only get better over time.

Anderson, born with a frontal encephalocele tumor

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After

Anderson is an 8 month old from Haiti who was born with a frontal encephalocele tumor. He arrived early this year and had surgery with our partners at Baptist hospital. Dr. Vit and team conducted the surgery to remove this huge tumor from Anderson's face. His first surgery went great. With a couple more surgeries he will look even better.

Neissa, born with congenital tumor filling the inside of her mouth

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After

Neissa is a 9 year old from Haiti who is full of hope and much appreciation. She came to us one year ago with a 3 ½ pound congenital tumor filling the inside of her mouth. Still growing, this tumor would have taken her life had it not been for Dr. Joseph McCain and the wonderful team of doctors at Baptist Hospital. Thanks to their amazing work and commitment Neissa today is able to drink, eat, and even do what she most dreamed of, simply enjoying a lollipop like all children. Next she will undergo additional surgery for teeth implants to replace all the ones that came out when the tumor was removed.

Morena, born with Frontonasal Encephalocele

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After

Morena is a beautiful one year old girl from Nicaragua who was born with Frontonasal Encephalocele. On March 26, 2014 Morena had surgery at Miami Children's Hospital. Dr John Ragheb performed the neurosurgery while Dr S. Anthony Wolfe performed the plastic surgery. The after picture was taken while she was still in recovery so please check back to see how amazing she is going to look once she is completely healed.

Bartek, born with Tibial Hemimelia Bilaterally

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After

Bartek is a darling two year old from Poland. He was born with a very rare condition called "tibial hemimelia bilaterally." As you can see in his before picture, his legs were severely deformed. He was told in Poland that the only thing they could do for him was to amputate and fit him with prosthetic legs. On April 30, 2013 Dr Dror Paley at the Paley Advanced Limb Lengthening Institute in West Palm Beach performed his first of several surgeries in the past year. With many hours of physical therapy, Bartek is up and running with his tot-walker and once his muscles get stronger he will be able to walk without braces and walker.

Kaylee, born with severe Bilateral Clubfeet

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After

Kaylee is a darling 2 1/2 year old from the Bahamas who was born with severe Bilateral Clubfeet. After surgery and castings with doctors in the Bahamas, Kaylee was showing very little improvement and was not able to walk at the age of 17 months. In May 2012 Dr Dror Paley at the Paley Advanced Limb Lengthening Institute in West Palm Beach performed surgery then followed with many months of castings and daily physical therapy. Thanks to Dr Paley and his staff and to our donors, Kaylee is walking and running like all her 2 year old friends in the Bahamas.

Junie

Before

After

Junie is a very sweet and shy 18 year old from Haiti who was born with an extensive deformity involving the entire left side of her face. Because of the mark on her face she was considered cursed and spent most of her life in orphanages. Thanks to Dr. Joel Levin and Baptist Hospital the entire lesion has been successfully removed and her skin grafting is healing beautifully. While she is recuperating she has been working diligently at learning English and so amazed at all the wonderful things she has seen in Miami. She now wears a constant smile and is so thankful to everyone that has given her this opportunity to look so beautiful.

Nazanin, born with Fibular Hemimelia

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After

Nazanin is a darling 4 year old from Iran born with Fibular Hemimelia. Her left leg was not only severely bent but was missing the fibula and was 6 CM shorter than her right leg. Since January 2011 after two major surgeries, many hours of daily physical therapy and lots of pain her legs are now the same length. Dr Dror Paley at the Advanced Limb Lengthening Institute in West Palm Beach who is the nationally and internationally recognized expert in deformity correction and limb lengthening made her and her family's dream of Nazi leading a normal life come true. She is now ready to go home and will be able to walk and soon run like the rest of her friends in Iran.

Grayson, born with a severe cleft lip and nose

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After

Grayson is a darling 1 year old from the Bahamas. As you can see in his before picture, he was born with a severe cleft lip and nose. Dr. S. Anthony Wolfe performed two surgeries at Miami Children Hospital: one in December 2011 and the second one in March 2012. The total cost of these extensive surgeries was $39,666.56. As you can see in his after picture, the surgeries were a huge success and his family is thrilled and most appreciative that CFC was able to give their son this gift of a better quality of life.

Edwin, 14 years old, diagnosed with Ptosis on the left upper eyelid

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After

Edwin is a 14 yr. old from Nicaragua who was born with Ptosis on the left upper eyelid. As you can see in his after picture, a smile speaks a thousand words. He recently received the surgery needed to lift and repair his birth defect with great success.

Amparo, 8 years old, diagnosed with Crouzon Syndrome and Craniostenosis

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After

Amparo from Panama is an 8 yr. old that was born with crouzon syndrome and craniostenosis. On July 26, 2011 she received her 1st surgery, Endoscopic 3rd Ventriculostomy, which successfully released the extensive pressure on her skull that was causing her severe daily headaches.

On November 29, 2011 she received her 2nd surgery, Bifrontal Craniotomy. Amparo is now home living a better life being able to smile, breath, and for the 1st time in her life sleeps laying down in a bed, and not sitting in a chair thanks to our great doctors.

Keidy, 8 years old, diagnosed with Apert Syndrome

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After

Keidy is an 8 year-old girl from Colombia who has been diagnosed with Apert syndrome, a congenital disorder characterized by malformations of the skull, face, hands and feet. The severity of Keidy’s condition is evident by her webbed fingers and feet, as well as her cranial and facial abnormalities. By means of a partnership between CFC, International Kids Fund at Jackson Memorial Hospital, she was evaluated extensively by several doctors in November and December of 2009.

On July 30, 2010 Keidy spent 10+ hours in surgery for the first and most critical part of her reconstruction. After a recuperation period she will return to Miami for further surgery.

Lubenson, age 5 from Haiti, diagnosed with a Melonotic Neuroectodermal Tumor

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After

Lubenson was born with an abnormal growth in his mouth called a melanotic neuroectodermal tumor, a very rare and life-threatening disorder. By the time he was 6 months old the tumor was the size of a softball and without intervention, he would have died. In 2006 (before CFC) Dr Wolfe donated his surgery and saved his life. He currently needs additional surgery to complete what Dr Wolfe originally began .

Lubeson's surgery is complete and is a truly happy and thankful young boy.

Alison, Age 19 from Peru - diagnosed with Vertical Orbital Dystopia

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After

Alison's surgery is complete. Alison arrived in Miami with her head down, no self-esteem, and no socializing. Today she is smiling, laughing, stronger than ever, and her head high ready to face the world. This has truly made a positive impact on this young lady's life as you can see.

Samuel, Age 4 -diagnosed with Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)

Before

After

An AVM is very difficult to treat anywhere and frequently results in amputation. In other words the cure is radical. In an effort to avoid or forestall amputation a combination of interventional radiology and surgery is the currently available best option.
Update: As of September 14, 2010, Samuel's surgery was a huge success and his family could not be happier. He now has full use of his hand for the first time in his life.

Cinthya, Age 14 -diagnosed with Severe Scoliosis

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After

Cinthya is 14 year old girl from Honduras born with severe scoliosis. Her condition is affecting the development of her spine causing her severe back pain and respiratory problems. Child Foundation Charity along with International Kids Fund at Jackson Memorial Hospital will team up to have Cinthya?s surgery done at Miami Children?s Hospital.

Update: Cinthya's surgery was a success and she has fully recovered.

Alejandro, 12 years old, born cross eyed.

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After

Alejandro is a handsome 12 year old from Nicaragua who was born cross eyed. His surgery was performed at Bascom Palmer in July 2012. In partnership with International Kids Fund his surgery cost CFC $9,100.00 As you can see in his after picture of him back in Nicaragua with his mother, both are extremely happy with the results. The best part of his story is that now Alejandro is able to see out of his right eye for the first time in his life.

Esteban, Age 20 -diagnosed with Retinoblastoma

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After

Esteban is a delightful 20 year old from Ecuador who at age 2 was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a malignant tumor on the retina. He is now in remission, but due to the many surgeries and extensive radiation he received in Ecuador, he was in need of reconstructive-craniofacial surgery.

On January 15, 2010, Dr. Rafael Gottenger and his team of surgeons, including Drs. Garri, Wolfe and Ragheb, performed the complex 8 hour reconstructive surgery plus prepared his eye socket with an appliance to receive his prosthetic eye.

Felito, Age 8 -diagnosed with Chiari Malformation

Before

After

Felito, a darling 8 year-old boy from Peru, came to us with multiple problems: hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation, tethered spinal cord syndrome and scoliosis. We were made aware of Felo?s need for assistance through our partnership with International Kids Fund at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

On Feb 5, 2009, Felito had his first surgery (Right Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy sec to Obstructive Hydrocephalus) at Jackson Memorial Hospital with Dr. David Sandberg. Felito has now returned home to Peru and is enjoying many of the normal things an eight-year old boy would and his family is forever grateful.

Yillian, diagnosed with Treacher Collins Syndrome

Before

After

Yilian, a 15-year-old girl from Cuba, was diagnosed with Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS). This syndrome is a genetic, craniofacial birth defect characterized by a range of distinctive facial anomalies. These anomalies can cause hearing, breathing and eating problems.

On November 27, 2007, Dr. Jose Garri performed a mandibular osteometry. Because of her successful surgeries, Yilian has grown into a confident, self-assured young women.

The cost of her surgeries: $22,500 which was paid by Child Foundation and partly by Yillian and her family helping to raise funds on their own.

Matias, age 1 years old, diagnosed with a subarachnoid cyst

Before

After

Matias was just a one year-old when his aunt, a pediatric resident at Miami Children?s Hospital, asked Child Foundation Charity to help her nephew from Peru. At his first year checkup in Peru, the doctor noticed that his head was larger than usual. After an MRI, he was diagnosed with a subarachnoid cyst and two subdural hematomas. CFC contributed $5,000 towards the craniotomy that saved Matias?s life. He is now a happy, thriving and growing 4 year-old attending preschool in Peru.