Help Layla Heal: Support Her Upcoming Cleft Repair Journey

The last few weeks have been an emotional whirlwind for Layla's family. Layla and her mother, Meg, recently traveled to the Mayo Clinic for a second opinion on Layla’s cleft repair, and what they heard gave them both incredible hope and a wave of nerves. After years of uncertainty, Layla and her family finally received the amazing news: Dr. Gibreel is confident he can fully close Layla’s cleft—and he can do it as early as this summer!

This surgery could be life-changing for Layla. Not only will it dramatically improve her speech, but it will also eliminate the constant risk of food getting trapped in her cleft, which can lead to infections. It’s a major step forward—and something they weren’t expecting for several more years.

Layla’s upcoming procedure will involve a tongue graft, where a portion of her tongue will be used to close the cleft in the roof of her mouth. This means her tongue will be sutured to the top of her mouth for three weeks. She’ll also need a separate surgery beforehand to prepare her tongue for the graft. Meg and Layla will need to stay in Rochester, MN, for about five weeks total during her recovery.

Thankfully, they’ll be staying close at the Ronald McDonald House, just across the street from the hospital—but this still comes with many challenges. Meg will be away from work for over a month, with travel costs, meals, and out-of-pocket medical expenses quickly adding up.

Layla has endured more in her 8 years than most do in a lifetime. She’s had 12 surgeries, including 4 on her cleft, multiple sets of ear tubes, a G-tube placement, and even the removal of a foreign object lodged in her cleft. She couldn’t breastfeed or bottle-feed as a baby, struggled to gain weight, and had to learn to swallow quickly so her food wouldn’t come out of her nose. Through it all, Layla has shown a level of strength and bravery that amazes us every single day.

She is kind, smart, hilarious, and lights up every room she walks into. Despite the mean comments she’s faced, she continues to shine, never letting her differences hold her back. We truly believe she’s here to change the world.

Layla and her family could really use our support during this next big step in her journey. They’re facing significant time away from work, travel expenses, and mounting medical bills as they prepare for Layla’s surgery and recovery. Any contribution—whether financial, sharing this campaign, or simply sending encouragement and prayers—will make a meaningful difference. Let’s rally around this brave, bright young girl and help give her the chance to heal, grow, and keep shining her incredible light into the world.