Connor, 14, was born with a bilateral incomplete cleft
lip and complete cleft palate involving the hard and soft
palate. As a newborn, his condition was so severe that
he was even unable to create the suction needed to feed.
By the time he was 3 weeks old, he was failing to gain
weight and was about to be admitted to a hospital. That’s
when Connor’s family learned about Shriners Hospitals for Children — Chicago.
There, his RN care coordinator gave his mother, Kelly,
a special syringe, making it possible for her to finally
feed her baby. And from that moment, Connor began an
extensive treatment plan of surgeries and interventions
that extends until he is 21, so that some repairs can be
made after he has stopped growing.
Connor’s condition affects not only his teeth and his
ability to eat, but also his speech, hearing, and social and
emotional well-being. In addition, Connor has a connective
tissue disorder that eventually made it difficult for the
active teen to participate in contact sports.
Still, Connor’s can-do spirit and supportive family have
helped him to find many ways to pursue his passions.
Connor umpires for youth baseball, acts as a physical
education mentor for other kids with disabilities at his
school, and is an advocate and community volunteer. But
most of all, Connor is a golfer. He maintains a busy training
schedule and hopes to one day become a pro. And with
his family, Connor is part of a large local annual fundraiser,
a golf tournament that has over the years raised more than
$200,000 for Shriners Hospitals for Children.
“I just want to use my time as a National Patient
Ambassador to help other kids,” Connor said. “I want
kids to know that no matter what they look like, or how
they walk, or what makes them different – that they
shouldn’t let anyone else make them feel bad. I want
to help other kids feel good about themselves and their
differences. I’m excited to make an impact on other
Shriners kids’ lives and spread awareness about our
amazing hospitals and Shriners.”