Our daughter, Hazel, came into the world in October 2012 with a genetic deletion which caused her to be born with impaired vision and cloudy corneas. As first-time parents, we found ourselves in uncharted territory with an infant whose medical scenario is rare enough that it doesn’t have a formal name.
Our families have felt the benefit of connecting with others who are in similar situations and have a tough road to follow. We can relate to the positive news, the negative news, the times of joy, and the times of fear. Through it all, we’ve learned that life can be uncertain and challenging, but having the right kind of encouragement and support in any difficult situation can bring about hope.
A few short days after her birth, we had our first consultation with the best child cornea surgeon we could find, Dr. Bowman at the Cornea Associates of Texas. The road ahead of us was daunting and full of unknowns, but Dr. Bowman told us about the Fears family and suggested we get in touch. Finding another couple who had been in our shoes was a huge boost. We really valued the feeling of support from people who had been there before. At the tender age of three-weeks-old, our daughter had her first cornea transplant, and Dallas was there with us in the waiting room during the surgery. That kind of support and compassion means so much to us.