Learning that you’re going to become a parent is one of the most exciting moments of your life – and you just pray that the baby is going to be born healthy.
Tony and Theresa Hall are two loving parents from Corby, England. They had thought that all was well with their upcoming baby – at least that’s what the prenatal tests seemed to say. When she was born, however, the parents could see that their daughter was not in the best health. In fact, she was born with a birth defect. She would need help if she was to live a healthy life.
Baby Cody was born with a hemangioma under her left eye. This condition causes stem cells to become benign tumors. Cody’s illness left her with a giant mark on her face.
Her parents loved her from the moment they saw her, and they wanted to change her life for the better. They took her out for long walks, and they allowed her to openly explore the world. Onlookers, however, were less than nice to the Halls.
“In England, our neighbor asked my wife if we put a bag over [Cody’s] head when we took her out,” Tony recalled for the Orlando Sentinel. “The hardest thing is the stares and comments from the ignorant people in this world who don’t understand what’s going on with her.”
As time went by, Cody’s condition was only growing worse. She would need surgery to heal her condition, so Tony and Theresa planned a trip. They brought her to Dr. David Apfelberg, a plastic surgeon located in Atherton, California. After multiple laser treatments, the doctor was able to remove Cody’s growth.
Her parents were relieved at her new state of health, but they also wanted Cody to have a normal life, to be able to blend in with the crowd. It would take another operation to smoothen out her skin.
They then saw Dr. Milton Waner in New York. This physician could remove the scars from Cody’s face, although it wouldn’t be easy.
“She had extensive tissue destruction,” Dr. Waner told Fox News. “We performed several procedures to restore her face back to normalcy.”
Over 14 years of her life, Cody went through 18 operations. The Hall family would not have been able to afford these expensive procedures had it not been for the help of strangers everywhere. Through their fundraising campaign, they received $376,000 for Cody’s medical costs. The family was so grateful for this wonderful opportunity for their daughter.
“She looks much, much better now,” Dr. Waner announced. “If you saw her walking on the street, you would never know she had had any problems.”
Now, Cody is able to live her life without harsh stares from strangers. In November 2017, she married the love of her life – and she has found her happily ever after.
“It was an emotional day and there were some tears,” Cody explained to The Sun, “especially when I saw [my husband] at the altar, but only tears of joy.” She declared, “I just want to show people that there is a happy ending.”
Cody’s story is one of change and sacrifice, and she owes her newfound health to her parents’ commitment to helping her. The Halls are a shining example of what it means to put your child first.
Cody is one admirable woman. Watch her story in the video below.
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