For the past 17 years Isabella “Bella” Peterson has been under the care of Blessing Health plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Arshad Muzaffar, as he and his team repaired her cleft lip and alveolus. An alveolus is a gap in the gum line.
Bella has undergone five surgeries, beginning seven months after she was born and concluding this year. Her surgeries included Dr. Muzaffar using a piece of Bella’s hip bone to repair her upper gum line where bone did not grow.
Bella says her medical experience has made her a stronger person, and she plans to pay it forward.
“I know I want to do something related to the medical field,” the 4.0 grade point average student said. “I’ve been through so much with it. I feel this is where my passion lies.”
Bella plans to become a nurse.
“I want to work with kids who have cleft and craniofacial issues. Because of my experience, I feel I can relate to them and be able to provide comfort because they might see the end result of these surgeries in me.”
Her passion to help others, as well as her physical metamorphosis over the past 17 years, are befitting of her name. “Bella” means beautiful in Italian.
What are cleft lip and palate and craniofacial issues?
Craniofacial disorders involve malformation of head and facial bones. Specifically, cleft lip is an opening or split in the upper lip, cleft palate is an opening or split in the roof of the mouth. They result when facial structures that are developing in an unborn baby don't close completely. The Centers for Disease Control reports that the condition affects about 1 in every 1,700 babies born in the United States. Cleft lip and palate can occur individually, or together.
Complications of cleft lip with or without cleft palate can include difficulty feeding, ear infections and hearing loss, speech difficulties, dental problems and social and emotional challenges.
Surgery can reduce a child’s chances for cleft complications. Treatment generally requires a series of procedures as the young patient grows and develops, as experienced by Bella.
The complexity of this care creates a strong and deep bond between provider, patient and family.
The relationship between the Petersons and their care team
Bella lives in Columbia, Missouri, where Dr. Muzaffar was working when she was born.
“We can’t say enough about him,” Kim Peterson, Bella’s mom said of Dr. Muzaffar. “When he left Columbia for Quincy, I cried. We were so thankful to be able to continue care here. We can’t say enough great things about Blessing. It’s been a wonderful experience for us.”
“Dr. Muzaffar is a perfectionist and that is what you want in a surgeon,” Kim added.
“For me, it was a big trust thing,” Bella said about remaining a patient of Dr. Muzaffar. “I felt better knowing I had a surgeon that I had been with for a long time. Trust made it easier to go through these very hard surgeries.”
Dr. Muzaffar earned his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in plastic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Muzaffar went on to complete two fellowships, including one in Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital. He is double board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Muzaffar provides this highly specialized care as part of a nationally recognized team of specialists at Blessing. Other members of the Blessing Health Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic team are Mark Mount, MD, ear, nose and throat specialist; Darren Wittenberger, DDS, MS, orthodontist; Gale Rice, CCC-SLP, speech language pathologist, Brittney Moore, PhD, LP, neuropsychologist; Shanna Dierker, APRN-FNP, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery; and Jennifer Hermann, BSN, RNFA, CNOR, team coordinator and plastic surgery coordinator.
The team has earned "Cleft Palate Team” approval from the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association (ACPA) for meeting its standards, making it one of 200 approved teams in the United States and Canada. The next closest ACPA approved teams to Blessing are in Springfield, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri and Iowa City, Iowa.
“Members of the Blessing Health Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic team have been doing cleft care for many, many years,” said Dr. Muzaffar. “Parents and guardians want their children cared for by providers who have delivered this specialized care for a long time and have demonstrated excellent results.”
“In addition to our years of experience, the ACPA recognition is another level of assurance for parents and guardians that our team meets or exceeds the national standards to provide their child with the life-changing care they need,” Dr. Muzaffar concluded.
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