A Chance Encounter Leads Family to Shriners Children's Boston for Craniofacial Care

July is Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month, and we are highlighting the experiences of patients like Zachary.

Mary Ann had no idea that her son Zachary would be born with a cleft lip. “I was very grateful for that,” she recalled. “If I had known, I think I would have dwelled on it too much during my pregnancy.”

Zachary was born in September and the family’s path to receiving care at Shriners Children’s Boston began with a chance encounter that November. Mary Ann took Zachary to see Santa at the local mall and Santa happened to be a Shriner. He recommended Mary Ann contact Shriners Children’s headquarters in Tampa, Florida, to learn more about the craniofacial care offered by the healthcare system. Zachary’s great-uncle was also a Shriner and he connected the family with the Oasis Shrine Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Shrine Center worked with the family to facilitate transportation to Boston.

Zachary’s first visit to Shriners Children’s Boston was in February of 2008 when he was 5 months old. Mary Ann knew immediately that her family had found the right place for him. “We felt truly at home with the care team in Boston,” she said.

The Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Shriners Children’s Boston is a collaborative program with MassGeneral Hospital for Children. In a single visit, patients have access to oral surgeons, plastic surgeons, orthodontists, speech pathologists and dietitians. Kavitha Ranganathan, M.D., is co-director of the center. “The comprehensive care that we provide at Shriners Children’s Boston is beneficial to patients like Zachary, who will receive care throughout his childhood. As he grows into adulthood, he will have access to all of the craniofacial services that he needs,” she said.

Now 15, Zachary has had a number of surgeries to address his craniofacial differences. Over the years, Zachary has had his cleft lip and cleft palate repaired as well as rhinoplasty, which helped improve the functionality and appearance of the nose. Zachary’s most recent surgery at Shriners Children’s Boston was a bone graft. This procedure involves taking a small amount of bone from the patient and grafting it around the area of the cleft. A bone graft helps to support the child’s teeth as they develop, which is important for overall health.

Zachary is coming to Shriners Children’s Boston annually for evaluation until he is ready for jaw surgery in a few years. Also known as orthognathic surgery, this procedure repositions the jaws to improve bite and appearance.