Years of Care, Confidence and a Little Bit of Ice Cream

When 11-year-old Amara first arrived at Shriners Children's Texas in June 2019, she wasn't sure what to expect.

Born with a cleft lip and palate, Amara had undergone treatment in Mexico since she was a baby. Her family eventually learned about Shriners Children's Texas through a friend, and when the opportunity came to seek care there, they made the trip hoping for answers and a path forward. Amara remembers feeling nervous.

Part of that fear came from experiences she had with previous healthcare providers. Amara recalled seeing other clinicians who were not always patient or welcoming with children, which left her anxious about what future appointments and procedures might be like. But after her first appointment at Shriners Children’s Texas, Amara knew it was going to be different.

“Dr. Busaidy has been treating me since my first appointment, and he is amazing,” Amara said. “I always felt supported by him and his team.”

Kamal Busaidy, D.D.S., is the director of oral and maxillofacial surgery and hospital dentistry at Shriners Children's Texas. Amara would travel a couple of times a year from Mexico to see him for cleft procedures. Last year alone, Amara said she traveled for treatment around 10 times because of two different surgeries.

“I’ve had too many procedures to count,” Amara said. “But they really transformed my self-image. They changed the way I saw myself for the better.”

For years, Amara also worked with the team’s speech language pathologist, Rachel Hogan. Between surgeries and clinic visits, speech therapy became an important part of her care and progress.

“She’s the best person, and I loved seeing her each time and working on my speech,” Amara said.

Rachel's encouragement helped Amara develop confidence in herself over time. Now, 18-year-old Amara has recently graduated from high school and is considering college in the near future. She is interested in studying law and has a strong interest in human rights advocacy.

In her free time, Amara enjoys experimenting with different makeup looks. A true creative, she spends time drawing, crafting, and reading Stephen King novels. At home in Mexico, she enjoys spending time with her three cats and cooking homemade Mexican food.

Looking back, Amara knows her journey has not always been easy. But the cleft team at Shriners Children’s Texas helped give her peace of mind that she was in the right hands.

“It was a really warm experience," she said. "The nurses, the doctors and the surgeons are some of the most amazing people I've known in my entire life."

Amara’s most recent surgery was completed this spring, leaving just one final procedure before she graduates from care. After all the surgeries, appointments and trips back and forth for treatment, there is one piece of advice she can offer with complete certainty: "My best friend after surgery is always ice cream."