His mother, Alora, had no idea that anything was unusual during her pregnancy. When her son arrived and faced immediate medical challenges, it was a shock. Koen couldn’t breathe properly unless he lay on his stomach, and he was immediately admitted to the NICU. After a month at a children’s hospital in Virginia, he was finally able to go home, but his journey was far from over.
Alora and her husband relocated to Louisiana, but finding a provider for Koen’s cleft palate became a challenge. “We thought we’d go to Florida, but my insurance wasn’t accepted,” Alora said. “Every other option was more than five hours away.”
Just when frustration was setting in, a family friend and Freemason introduced the Koen's parents to Shriners Children’s Shreveport. They spoke of the hospital’s commitment to helping families, regardless of financial circumstances. Learning that Shriners Children’s specialized in cleft palate treatment, Alora felt a spark of hope. By the time they arrived, she could feel her worries start to fade.
“It definitely eased my thoughts,” she said. “Going into everything, all you do is worry. But everyone there is so nice, and they answered every question I could think of.” The support from the staff at Shriners Children’s Shreveport helped Alora feel confident in her decision. Rachel Bishop, D.D.S., M.D., Koen’s board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon who specializes in cleft and craniofacial surgery, quickly became a trusted part of their journey.
Going into everything, all you do is worry. But everyone there is so nice, and they answered every question I could think of.
Now, Koen has made significant progress, especially after struggling to gain weight during his first nine months. “He was in the first percentile or lower for the first nine months of his life, and he jumped up to the eleventh percentile,” Alora said, relieved. Getting Koen to eat enough to gain weight remains a challenge, but progress is evident. He enjoys soft food and purees, making mealtimes a little easier.
Despite these hurdles, Koen is thriving as a typical toddler. He’s running around, throwing things on the ground and making noise. With his second birthday approaching in December, his personality is shining through. He loves playing in the sand at the beach, and enjoys family outings to baseball games and the Shreveport Aquarium. At home, he’s happiest when playing outside with bubbles or going on walks.
The financial strain of Koen’s treatments has been a significant challenge for the family, but that weight has been lifted thanks to Shriners Children’s. “I know going into something like this, you don’t have time to plan for the financial side of it. You’re just trying to get through each day,” Alora said. “So having Shriners Children’s support has been a huge relief, and we’re incredibly grateful for it.”
Koen enjoys walking through the neighborhood.
Koen is a big fan of a day at the beach.
Fearless Koen sits on a toy gator at the Shreveport Aquarium.
Koen celebrates his first birthday.
Koen's mom and dad smile with him at an Atlanta Braves baseball game.
