My friend Lacey tells the inspiring story of her struggles raising her baby son named Christian, born with a rare form of disorder that has left him with a severe form of cleft palate and no eyes. There are only 50 cases of Tessier cleft worldwide. Lacey has been reaching out to others who suffer form craniofacial syndromes and other disabilities. She is scheduled to do speeches world wide. Lacey never considered abortion even when being told she should in her second trimester due to the risk of severe disability and possible death of baby before or after birth.

In the seven-minute video, Lacey of Woodbury, Tennessee, fighting back her tears, shares her experience raising her baby, holding up photos with messages written on cards to the camera. During the seven-minute video, she holds the one-year-old baby to her chest and turns his face to the camera only at the end.

Her story begins with her joy after getting pregnant and then the heartbreaking news that her baby has a rare disorder. But the Buchanans are devout Christians and refused to abort the child.

According to her story, a week after she became pregnant, doctors told her and her husband Chris, that their baby had severe developmental problems and that there was an 85 percent chance of her miscarrying. But she overcame the odds and gave birth to the baby that has no eyes and whose cleft lips and palate were so bad that he could not close his mouth.

According to doctors, the boy suffers from what is called a Tessier cleft, a rare and severe form of cleft palate that affects different areas of the face, including the nose, jaws, eyes and mouth.

She delivered the baby at Vanderbilt Medical center in February 2011. Christian had his first surgery at four days old and though he was born without a palate, doctors have closed his cleft lip.

Lacey says that in spite of her Christian faith "things were hard." Most touching is the mother's account of how people react at the sight of her baby. Many ask, "what's wrong with your kid?" A girl told her she is a "horrible person" because she did not abort the child.

Buchanan proudly holds up one-year-old Christian for everyone to see. Lacey said of her son: “Anyone who meets Christian falls in love with him pretty quickly."


She has a blog about Christian at http://www.christianbuchanan.blogspot.com

ive seen this all over facebook. she is a very strong woman with alot of love in her heart and that little boy is so precious and loved!

I also have seen this all over facebook and she is a very strong woman. It takes a whole lot willpower and a huge heart!

God bless this child and her family. This can't be easy to handle.