Isabella was born with a unilateral cleft lip and incomplete alveolar ridge. After Isabella’s first surgery at seven months old, I saw the ACPA cleft bears and absolutely loved the idea of having a bear to take into future surgeries. Our good friend bought Isabella her very first ACPA bear, and now she also has one of the ACPA Cleft Courage Bears that were introduced earlier this year.

Our family began donating APCA bears to the Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic in Columbia, Missouri in June of 2009 to give to new patients. Isabella would take a box of bears to her team visit every year.  She knows how scary surgery can be, and she wants other kids to be comforted by a fuzzy friend who looks like them, just like she was. We have been blessed to be able to donate bears 6 times.