Viola is 4 years old and was born at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in St, Loma Linda, CA.  Viola was diagnosed with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome at birth, and in her 4 short years, she has been through many surgeries. Several of these surgeries were before she turned 6 months old, such as malrotation (Malrotation is an abnormality in which an infant’s intestine hasn’t formed in the right way in the abdomen), g-tube, open-heart surgery, and a trach placed. Today her family deals with 22q, Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary stenosis, gastrostomy dependence, prolapse of the epiglottis, acute asthma & epilepsy — but even still, Viola is a sweet lovable little girl!

Viola enjoys sensory play, her iPad, dancing along with the TV show “Cocomelon,” jumping & swinging. She loves to swing in her doorway jumper and doesn’t ever get dizzy! Viola is currently attending her second year of preschool, (all virtual), and gets one on one 1 hour a day with her teacher Miss Russ.

Viola is nonverbal, but her mom says, “I’m proud that she’s able to communicate with us by using the pecs board and expressing herself with visuals. She’s very assertive & she works hard and is very dedicated when it comes to school and learning new things.”

Advice from Viola’s mother to others raising children with 22q, “some days may be slower than others… but every day is also an accomplishment. Never rush the process.”