Vivian’s story: From baby with a cleft lip to confident adult

Dennis, Sylvia and Vivian Pereira with Dr. John Mulliken Silvia Pereira was pregnant for the first time in 1986 when a routine ultrasound revealed that she was carrying a baby girl with a cleft lip. In her early twenties and newly emigrated from Honduras, Silvia decided to keep the condition a secret because she was unsure of how her family would react. “I didn’t even know what a cleft lip was; I didn’t care how she came out; I just wanted my baby.” When baby Vivian arrived, her husband Dennis was in disbelief: “If you’ve never seen a cleft lip, it’s pretty shocking. I asked myself, what’s going on? Is this my fault, is it my genes?” Twenty-eight years later, Vivian reflects on her birth story: “Luck was never on my side. My first obstacle in life was being born.” Vivian before surgery for cleft lip The Pereiras were devastated when doctors said they couldn’t operate on Vivian for 10-12 years. “I thought, I’m the father, I should be able to fix this,” says Dennis. “But I couldn’t. I felt so powerless. I just wanted a miracle.” Then the couple was referred to Dr. John Mulliken of Boston Children’s Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, who assured them he could operate on Vivian as soon as she gained another pound. Silvia remembers, “He asked me, ‘Why are you crying? It’s just a cleft lip, not the palate. Your baby will be fine.’ He is an angel. We love him so much.” As a baby, Vivian underwent two operations to close he...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts Our patients’ stories Bonnie Padwa Cleft lip and Palate Program John Mulliken Stephen Shusterman Source Type: news