Two-year-old tech-savvy Georgina doesn’t hesitate to call her grandma on WhatsApp when she wants to talk. When the TF team visited her, she was keen to show off her technology-inspired toys.
And her favourite food to eat? French fries, even if her parents wish it were broccoli!
Reflecting on their journey with Georgina’s cleft so far, Isabella and Augusto shared that their family has rallied around Georgina’s treatment with TF’s local partner, Fundación Gavina in Tucumán, Argentina. It brought their blended family together – her older siblings checking in on her and helping with her regular checkups.
Isabella and Augusto learned that Georgina would be born with a cleft lip and palate during a routine ultrasound at five months. They were both in shock – like many parents, they had never heard of cleft. They had no idea where to begin!
Through their referral, they experienced a pass-around without clear next steps. In Argentina, some aspects of cleft care are available to families, often through private insurance. Maybe surgery would be available, but what about the other aspects of care Isabella had seen through her research?
Then, they discovered TF’s local partner. Comprehensive Cleft Care was available in their city! Before Georgina was born, Isabella had her first meeting to speak to the psychosocial professional, who reassured her and helped her understand the journey ahead.
Once Georgina arrived, the family received custom bottles to help with feeding. She was slightly underweight and benefitted from weight gain before surgery. Learning to feed Georgina wasn’t easy, but the support of the team made all the difference.
Isabella shared family photos of Georgina’s cleft care journey.
Today, Georgina has received lip and palate surgeries. While the dentistry team waits for her front teeth to erupt, she’ll continue her speech therapy.
Isabella and Augusto describe the process as incredibly supportive, and they are hopeful for Georgina’s future. Isabella remarked “I’d like to share our story because early on, before we had Gavina, I was researching everything I could. I read a story about a little boy in Venezuela who was able to access Comprehensive Cleft Care. It gave me the hope I needed.”