Three months old
Eleanor
Eleanor is a three-month-old baby who had a hemangioma of the left upper eyelid. Surgical excision was necessary in a timely fashion, as this could cause blindness in the left eye.
The procedure was very delicate because of the child's age and where the hemangioma was located. Dr. Waner from the Vascular Birthmark Institute performed the excision successfully in November 2022.
Seven months old
Caylani
A very complex case: a seven-month-old patient from Jacksonville, Florida who underwent surgery on December 14th, 2022, a three-hour procedure to excise a venous malformation of her right cheek.
Due to the complex nature of the surgery, it included facial nerve monitoring, and she needed anesthesia for suture removal. The procedure was successful and she is healing well.
Born May 18, 2021
Durban Mae Coetzee
One of the happiest, sweetest, most self-aware babies around. She giggles often, loves snuggles, tickles, and listening to music. Her favorite foods are strawberries and sweet potatoes, and her best friend in the whole world is 'Shuga', the family dog.
"As the months went on, the hemangioma continued to grow. Her parents hoped and prayed endlessly for options and at nine months, they heard about the foundation. Their prayers had been answered. Forever grateful, they are now able to get their daughter the surgery she so desperately needs."
Read Durban Mae's full journey
Hours after birth, her parents noticed a slight discoloration on her right cheek that resembled a halo. By one month old, it had changed to bright red, a hemangioma. Her pediatrician prescribed topical Timolol and referred the family to a specialist at MUSC Children's Hospital.
At five months, the treatment showed little progress and the diagnosis came into question, it could be Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma (KHE). Seeking a second opinion, her mother Corina found the Vascular Birthmark Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital. Dr. Milton Waner assured her it was in fact a hemangioma and recommended complete removal.
Her parents knew what they needed to do, but researching the costs, they were disheartened to find they couldn't afford the procedure. Then they heard about the foundation, and everything changed.
Seven years old
Colin McKenna
"Words cannot express my thanks and gratitude to the Lillian Bay Foundation… Within a matter of 24 hours from filling out the application, Lillian Bay's founders reached out to us. It was a dream come true for our family. This was a surgery where we could breathe and just be with one another to support my son."
Colin's mom
Read Colin's full story
Colin was born with hemifacial hypertrophy, a childhood condition in the facial anomaly and vascular birthmark family. This past January he had his 10th surgery on his face. Healthcare does not cover these important, necessary surgeries, and his family found themselves scrambling before every procedure.
They were introduced to the foundation by their surgeon's office: Dr. Milton Waner of the Vascular Birthmark Institute. Dr. Ari Bernstein made the first phone call, welcoming them with open arms. Brad, the CEO of Lillian Bay, called next, offering help, kind words, and the understanding of someone who has lived life as a parent of a child needing chronic medical procedures.
