01/26/2026
Today, we honour the incredible strength, individuality, and beauty of children born with birth defects. Every body is different. Every story is different. And every child deserves to be seen for who they are- not the diagnosis that came with their first breath.
Read Rachel's experiences with being the mom of a child born with a birth defect.
"I had my oldest Owen at freshly 21- that alone was overwhelming, but nothing could have prepared me for the battle that we had ahead. When Owen was born he was PERFECT, thick black hair, plump little lips and the longest legs I have ever seen on a baby.
I had spent a fair amount of time around infants, I loved babies, and loved working in spaces with young kids. So by the time we brought him home, I knew something was wrong- call it the mom spidey sense. My baby had a leg that curved just a bit more than I felt was right. Like a lot of moms, my fears were not settled at my 6 week check up. I had brought up my sons leg and a bump on his head that grew by the day- I was dismissed, and left questioning my ability to know my baby's needs- worrying that my anxiety was getting the best of me.
Over the following weekend the bump on my baby's head grew from a marble to a golf ball and we rushed him into emerg, he had fractured his skull during birth and had a slow bleed. A bit of medication and he was good as new- before we left, the attending doctor asked "Do you have any other questions?" and I couldn't sit quiet. "Yes he has a bow in his leg that isn't right. My family doctor said that baby's go bow legged, then k**b kneed and then they straighten out- but I don't trust it. I want a referral to orthopaedics. I won't leave without it." Man did I feel sick being so firm with a doctor- but he sent the referral and we went on our way.
Fast forward 6 months and we finally get in, do an x ray and are in the waiting room of the peds ortho department.
"Get that baby off his legs!"
Turns out my mom sense were right, my baby had a bowed leg that had significantly less density than it should, a significantly bigger bow than normal, and already a hairline fracture beginning.
Over the next 5 years we would do two surgeries to put a rod & pin in his leg, spend countless hours at sask abilities getting various leg braces made, and spend many hours silently worrying about his future and quality of life. At five years old he couldn't swim, ride a bike, run, or walk more than half a block- the fear was real. Shortly after he turned five he began complaining of pain- and this was a kid who was laughing within an hour post op- we knew it was bad.
He had broken his leg AND the rod, just by walking.
When we met with his orthopaedic specialist next she would change our lives forever. Amputation. The reality was, no amount of repair or surgeries would make the bone strong enough to sustain a growing boy- and so we had one option.
A year later, and one foot (and a bit) less, we had a kid that was riding a bike, with a pretty sweet looking prosthetic (it had flames on it). To this day there are still obstacles (like the fact his legs are still insanely long and we need a longer prosthetic every 4 months haha), but my sons birth defect has created a resiliency that I could never imagine having, and compassion for anyone in pain that rivals a saint.
I'm sending love to all the beautiful babies, and all the stressed and emotional parents."
