Our son, Jacob, was born with a bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate. My husband and I knew before he was born that he would be born with this, thanks to ultrasounds and fetal MRIs, so we were able to prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally to take care of our child with special needs. We have been taking him to Children's Medical Center in Dallas since he was 2 weeks old to give him all the medical care deemed necessary to thrive, have confidence in himself, and live his best life possible! He has currently had 8 surgeries and will have more throughout his teenage years. Even though every surgery comes with its challenges, and can be scary, it has all been worth it to see all the progress he continues to make. Now that he's 14, it is time to start the process of braces, which he is so excited about! Jacob has come so far in his journey, and has a little farther to go still, but we are so thankful that he is thriving, healthy, and happy! ~ Jabob’s Mom