Expensive Surgery Will Put A Smile On This Girl’s Face For The First Time

Addison Garvey, a three-year-old girl from New York, is suffering from Moebius syndrome, a neurological disorder that disables the little girl from smiling and using proper speech. She urgently needs to undergo a life-changing surgery to cure this rare congenital syndrome.

However, the medical procedure costs a massive $125,000. Hence, her parents are in the process of raising the money through crowdfunding.

Moebius syndrome is an extremely rare congenital neurological disorder characterized by facial paralysis and the inability to move the eyes from side to side, smile and use proper speech. Hence the disease is preventing the Addison from smiling.

Her parents have never seen Addison smile, which has been extremely painful because she is by nature a very happy girl who is keeping a very optimistic attitude despite everything she has been through. Being able to smile and move her face is crucial to her social skills. Even the ability to open and close your mouth we take for granted is impossible for her.

Although the procedure is costly, Addison’s parents are making every effort to see Addison smile for the first time in her life. The surgery will also help the toddler with her speech, and recover her ability to eat. At the time, she is dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube for all these functions.

Intellectually, Addison is above average. She might be only three but she has managed to learn hundreds of signs to communicate. This is why it is doubly frustrating when she wants to express herself in a better way, but lacks the ability to move her jaw. Addison’s brother, Jackson, is 19-months-old, loves her so much that, despite his very young age, has learned sign language only to communicate with his big sister.