Genesis' Journey

How Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital helped Houston baby with cleft lip + palate

Parents Oscar and Ariyanna with baby Genesis.

Photo courtesy of Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital

When Ariyanna McGee went in for her 20-week anatomy scan, she expected a routine glimpse of her baby. Instead, doctors found excess amniotic fluid building up around her baby, Genesis Gianna. In the weeks that followed, Ariyanna had to be hospitalized multiple times during her pregnancy because of her dangerously high blood pressure.

At seven months, a 3-D ultrasound gave Ariyanna and her partner, Oscar Pineda, their first clear look at Genesis’ face and revealed a cleft lip. Doctors suspected a cleft palate as well. A cleft lip is a birth defect resulting in a separation in the upper lip that occurs when facial structures do not fully fuse during early pregnancy, while a cleft palate involves an opening in the roof of the mouth, often extending all the way through the gum line.

From the start, the McGee family was connected with the pediatric cleft team affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. There, they met pediatric plastic surgeon Dr. Danielle Sobol, assistant professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and a pediatric plastic surgeon affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital.

Ariyanna’s worries quickly subsided after meeting Dr. Sobol, who explained treatment options and guided the family through the surgeries Genesis would eventually need. She answered all of the couple’s questions and reassured Ariyanna by sharing that her team has performed the surgical procedure numerous times with great outcomes.

Memorial Hermann Genesis McGee Today Genesis is thriving.Photo courtesy of Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital

Thanks to advances in 3-D ultrasound and prenatal care, Dr. Sobol shared that a majority of cleft lip cases in the Houston region are now diagnosed in utero. Surgical correction after birth is a fairly common procedure at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, where many of these procedures are performed each year.

Dr. Sobol explained to the family that while the condition itself is often not life-threatening, it can cause complications for a child’s development. She acknowledged that many parents find it emotionally difficult to see a cleft lip on an ultrasound, raising concerns about their baby’s health and well-being.

Welcome to the world, Baby Genesis

When Genesis Gianna Pineda entered the world on June 4, 2024, weighing in at 4 pounds, 13 ounces, and a healthy 21 inches long. Ariyanna was able to hold her baby after she was born. She admits she was worried about what Genesis would look like and whether her baby would be able to eat and drink normally.

As soon as she saw her beautiful baby girl, Ariyanna forgot her worries. The cleft lip did not matter to her, and she knew that whatever steps needed to be taken to correct her birth defects would be, and she was confident that Genesis would be able to live a happy life.

Dr. Sobol echoed that sentiment. She confirmed Genesis was diagnosed with both a cleft lip and cleft palate, explaining that these conditions can affect feeding, speech, and overall development. However, with timely intervention, coordinated care, and ongoing support, children diagnosed with cleft lip and palate can go on to lead healthy, thriving lives.

At just four months old, Genesis underwent her first procedure at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital: a cleft lip repair performed by Dr. Sobol. The surgery closed the gap in her lip and nose, allowing for better feeding, speech, and future development.

Memorial Hermann Genesis McGee Genesis had her first surgery at four months old.Photo courtesy of Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital

Several months later, around the time of her first birthday, Genesis returned to the hospital for cleft palate surgery. This procedure was crucial for helping her eat and speak properly, and it also reduces the risk of frequent ear infections. Both operations went smoothly, thanks to the specialized care provided by the multidisciplinary pediatric cleft team.

Exploring a world of possibilities

Today, Genesis is thriving. She’s crawling, babbling, and beginning to explore the world with curiosity. She eats a wide variety of foods and keeps her parents busy chasing after her.

The McGee family continues follow-up care with the pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery program affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. As part of the program, a full team, including surgeons, speech therapists, and audiologists, works together to support children born with cleft disorders.

Looking back, Ariyanna is grateful for the reassurance and compassion her family received at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. Her message for other parents who receive a cleft diagnosis is that Children’s Memorial Hermann is the place to go and it’s a place where the entire family is in excellent hands. She feels that the staff and affiliated doctors provide outstanding care for children, giving hope and allowing for a bright future ahead for babies with cleft lips and palates.

With the help of the pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery team, Genesis has not only overcome her earliest challenges, but is now on track to grow, learn and live a full life.

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Learn more about the pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery program affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital here.

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bowled over

Houston artist dishes on Food Bank fundraiser happening this weekend

Picture of several artists at a table with a bunch of handmade ceramic bowls.

Photo courtesy Paula Murphy

Ceramics professor Cori Cryer and her students from Lone Star College Kingwood and the bowls they donated to the 20th Empty Bowls fundraiser

On Saturday, May 16, shoppers have an opportunity to feed those in need by purchasing unique, handcrafted items. The 20th Empty Bowls event takes place at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards from 10 am to 3 pm. A preview party takes place on Friday, May 15 from 6-8 pm (buy tickets here).

The fundraiser is a collaboration between Houston-area ceramists, woodturners, and artists working in all media and Silver Street Studios.

Shoppers can purchase one-of-a-kind bowls for $25 each (larger bowls are priced accordingly). A simple lunch from Salata, a sweet treat from Ben & Jerry’s, and iced coffee from Katz Coffee is served until it runs out. Every dollar of the purchases goes to the Houston Food Bank, which estimates that for every dollar donated, it’s able to provide three meals to Houstonians in need. Since its inception, Empty Bowls Houston has raised $1,208,959 for the Houston Food Bank, which equates to more than 3.6 million meals.

The event also includes live music and art demos. More than 2,000 bowls will be available for purchase, donated by area artists.

Empty Bowls began as a grassroots effort started many years ago at a high school in Michigan and is now held all over the world. Nearly everything for Empty Bowls events, from the food served to the venues hosting events and the bowls for sale are donated.

Cori Cryer, a professor of ceramics at Lone Star College Kingwood, is one of those who, along with her students, donated bowls for the fundraiser. She’s been involved with the effort for all of its 20 years in Houston, and before that in other cities.

“When I started donating, I didn't have a whole lot of money,” Cryer tells CultureMap. “I was a graduate student, and so this was a way for me to give back to the local community. And I think my students today kind of recognize that same feel. You know, they may not have money to send a check off to someone, [but this is] an easy way for them to be able to contribute to the community.”

Cryer teaches Ceramics I and Ceramics II to a variety of dual-credit high school students, college students, and continuing education students. Those in her Ceramics II classes are required to create five bowls to donate to Empty Bowls. But her students in her introductory class often end up donating as well. This year, she and her students provided approximately 150 bowls for the event.

Cryer said that the style of bowls for sale range from something as small as a condiment bowl to much larger serving bowls As each bowl is an individual work, they represent a variety of styles and themes. One of her students this year designed a glazed, ceramic leaf-shaped bowl with ceramic insects on it.

“There's a ladybug and a caterpillar and a spider,” she says, each created out of clay and positioned around the bowl.

Cryer loves seeing how the artists use their imaginations and abilities.

“Most of my students do throw their bowls on the pottery wheel, but that's not required,” she says. “They can hand-build them. It’s completely up to them what kind of construction technique they use.”

Cryer loves knowing that this event is a way for students to see that their artistic efforts can have lasting impact on the community around them. In addition to being able to support the Houston Food Bank, the bowls her class donates, she knows, take on special meaning for those who purchase them.

“I tell my students there is a pot for every person and a person for every pot,” she says.

In fact, one of her personal favorite bowls is one she purchased from an Empty Bowls sale.

“It's a very small bowl, maybe like three inches in diameter, and two inches tall, and it's a little pink pig that I think an elementary student made,” she said. “He has no tail, and he has no ears, but he has a snout, and it is definitely a pig. And I love that little bowl. I have it sitting on my desk at home.”

Cryer knows shoppers attending the Empty Bowls sale will find similar, soon-to-be-beloved items.

The Saturday event is free. Those wishing to attend the preview party on Friday, May 15 from 6-8 pm, which offers light bites, beer and wine, and the first chance to purchase bowls, can purchase a $50 ticket online. In addition, Archway Gallery is hosting an exhibition of 30 one-of-a-kind bowls that can be purchased as part of the Empty Bowls fundraiser. The exhibit runs through May 30.