Embracing Her Smiles: A dad’s hope for his daughter’s future
First-time father Nathan Black had no idea what parenting a baby would be like. His daughter, AvaLyn, was due to arrive in April of 2022, and all of the usual anticipation and excitement of the journey to parenthood was in ample supply. When AvaLyn’s mother, Stephanie, was 20 weeks along in her pregnancy, she and Nathan received news that would add yet another layer of novelty—and fear—to his future as a father.
While attending a prenatal anatomy scan with Stephanie, Nathan began to suspect something was not quite right. The appointment was taking much longer than expected, and the sonographer kept leaving the room and returning to take more images. Eventually, she returned with the obstetrician to share the difficult news that AvaLyn would be born with a cleft lip and palate. As questions and confusion swirled in Nathan’s mind, a ray of hope was on the horizon. He and Stephanie were immediately referred to the Clinic. “From 20 weeks on, the Clinic was there to support us,” Nathan shares.
Nathan emphasizes the vital importance of the Clinic’s presence in that season of uncertainty and credits their thorough, knowledgeable, and compassionate care as the reason he and Stephanie felt fully equipped for the birth of AvaLyn, as well as the details of her condition and treatment to come. Consequently, when AvaLyn arrived in April and Nathan saw his beautiful daughter for the first time, the joy of her birth was not clouded by surprises nor fear of the unknown. Nathan could focus on his precious daughter, not her difference.
Now a sweet and energetic almost-three-year-old, AvaLyn has already undergone two successful surgeries: the first one was when she was three months old and the other right before her first birthday. Fortunately, there were no surprises with the surgeries, nor during recovery periods, because he and Stephanie felt fully informed and supported. Nathan says, “The whole team prepared us and has been phenomenal through this process.”
AvaLyn’s sweet, upbeat personality captivates her father’s heart. He says she loves to play with her kitchen set and pretend to take orders and serve food, most likely because Stephanie is in food service. Nathan describes her as “bubbly” and it’s clear she brings him so much joy. He feels so thankful for the way the team at the Clinic adores his daughter as well. “When we go to the Clinic, Ava’s not just another patient…it’s like we’re family.”
While Nathan says that AvaLyn has a wonderful relationship with all of the team members at the Clinic, he notes the “special connection” his daughter has with her audiologist, Rachel Sharnetzka, AUD, CCC-A. Even though AvaLyn sees Rachel at the end of the day, a fresh wind of enthusiasm seems to lift her spirits as she approaches her audiology appointment. Nathan says with tenderness, “AvaLyn absolutely loves her…she is so sweet and patient with Ava.”
As AvaLyn grows, and Nathan contemplates her future, he admits he has moments when he fears she will be the target of teasing and taunts from kids at school. However, he says with humility, “The only thing that I can try to do is to prepare her to be confident about it… to embrace the scar and her story.”
Nathan knows that his hope for his daughter’s future is made possible by the Clinic’s amazing staff and incredibly generous donors. AvaLyn, and so many other children, are able to receive the resources needed to become confident kids with bright smiles because of monetary donations. Without donor generosity, most families could not afford a fraction of the services they receive. Nathan wholeheartedly wishes all kids with clefts could receive care at the Clinic and knows that many other families drive miles just to be seen here. The quality of care is unmatched in his estimation. He says, gratefully, “I understand that we are blessed.”
