You are never prepared for the "I'm sorry your baby has something wrong with her," especially after having a normal, healthy 14-month-old baby boy. But we couldn't be more proud of our baby girl. She is still making strides and already laughing and rolling over.

Jude has continued to thrive through the years, doing great at school and even trying out soccer and swimming (the things we never imagined possible!) He is turning 12 next month and starting middle school this upcoming school year. We are so proud of him!

In eleven years, some of the memories from the NICU have faded. We have a reminder of Tug’s beginning of life through a scar that remains on his chest. However, the gift we have been given through Dr. Kays’ care is a son who is not afraid to be his own unique self.

I set off on a journey with my mother to find someone willing to help my daughter.

As her strength and endurance built, she increased her feeding to the point that she no longer needed the feeding tube (which ran from her nose to her intestines). Her mommy and daddy are so proud of what a fighter she is and how determined she is to live!

We were very excited but also nervous about the health of our baby. It wasn’t our focus, but strangely enough, it was always in the back of our mind.

He’s 6 years old, has a blue belt in taekwondo, and enjoys swimming, singing and reading. We’ve lost count of the number of people that say there’s something special about him… but we know there is. He’s a CDH survivor.

She is now a healthy, happy, perfect 7-year-old. She's smart, kind, observant, and has a gentle soul. She is our miracle and our joy!

He also endured many complications during his 92-day NICU stay. At 7 days old, he had an intestinal perforation; at 3 weeks old, he suffered a pulmonary hemorrhage; and at 2 months old, he had a horrible infection. We know that it is because of God and the skills he has given Dr. Kays that we are able to enjoy our son and watch him grow, despite all the challenges he faced early on.

When we had Logan, our family became much larger than just the three of us. Going through this journey, the CDH community has been so supportive. They've become family.

Hazel had her repair surgery at 9 days old. Dr. Kays said her hole was huge. She had a full right lung and a nub for a left lung. He told us how Hazel really was a unique one. She ended up being bi-lateral, which is obviously the worst case, but had the best type of hernia to have a Morgagni hernia (an opening through the front instead of the back).

The CDH rollercoaster is rough, but you just have to keep your eyes on the prize: taking your baby home. After 134 days and having the Nissen procedure and a G-tube placed, she left the hospital on oxygen. One of the best parts? Her exit MRI showed no brain damage!

There is no protocol, and there are no timelines during this whole process. It’s a lot of sitting, waiting and monitoring. As a mom who has her life "planned to a T," this was very hard from me to understand.

I can also tell you that I owe all of the precious memories I made with Lilly to Dr. Kays and Joy. I know that I would not have had that time with her if Dr. Kays had not treated her. It also feels good as a parent to have the knowledge that I did all I could for her. She deserved the best. By seeking out Dr. Kays, I gave it to her.

We still needed more information before choosing our path. These tests would give a pediatric surgeon a better understanding of our child's severity and help us make the best decision for our son.

Claire goes to weekly physical and occupational therapy which has focused on developing her core strength and combatting any gross motor delays she has due to the stroke. She has made tremendous progress and is meeting most milestones!

Makenna went through a lot in her first 18 months. But none of it matters, because she had a caring team on her side. She is a CDH survivor. She can talk, walk, and is truly exceptional! She runs around everywhere, and is one of the happiest kids I have ever met.

We can hardly believe it’s been 9 years since Adam made his grand entrance into this world. As many of you can relate, at birth, Adam couldn’t make any noise voluntarily because of his very severe CDH. We have had so many ups and downs over the years, but despite the rockiness of the climbing, keeping our eye on his upward progression has kept us moving forward with hope!

The first year with a child born with CDH is hard, challenging, and very overwhelming at times. But these babies come here fighters and they are extremely strong.

She loves Doc McStuffins and says she wants to be a "Baby Nurse" when she grows up. She is the complete opposite of what the original doctors said. She is not neurologically damaged. She is a survivor.