Most of the kids are born disfigured, but there are other causes such as accidents and cancer that cause facial deformities. CCA's primary focus is to make sure that the kids get the best possible medical care. There are great surgeons who can perform amazing operations to correct many of the conditions, but they are often hard to find. CCA provides a referral service for families. They are the only organization providing that service and an important part of their mission is to conduct an outreach program to let medical professionals know that such a service even exists. They also publish informational brochures on the major craniofacial anomalies. These publications provide more information than families can usually obtain from their family physicians.

An equally important part of their mission is psychological support. The toughest thing most of the kids have to face is the isolation that accompanies the condition. One child's parents felt it was very important to mainstream their daughter, and send her to public schools. They never thought it was right for her to hide. But it was tough. No one would sit with her on the school bus.  She had only a very few friends. Mostly she was shunned, and not just by the kids. For example, she wanted to join a girl scout troop and the troop leader told her, "No, dear, I just don't think you would fit in." CCA provides support for these kids and their families by letting them know they are not alone. The disfigured kids have the roughest time, but their parents, and siblings also deal with a lot of very hard issues. They also feel the cruelty and isolation, even within their own families. There are couples that no longer have contact with the rest of their families because they have a disfigured child. The families simply don't want anything to do with them. Facial disfigurements strike some at a very deep psychological level.

One of the greatest things that CCA does is sponsor a family retreat each year for the kids and their families. For some children, it is the highlight of their year. The retreat is simply amazing. There is an extraordinary sense of relief that the kids have when they are with other kids with similar problems. It's as if they can finally relax. They are absolutely giddy. It's a similar experience for the parents. They sit up late at night talking about things that only they can understand. Many parents get more support out of these sessions than any medical professional, psychologist, priest, rabbi, or minister can ever provide. It's also an incredible time for the siblings. It's particularly important for the adolescent brothers and sisters. They have to deal with a lot in their schools and communities. They can honestly talk about the anger and other emotions they legitimately have because of their disfigured brother or sister. The major problem that CCA faces regarding the retreat is providing some financial assistance to families so that they can attend. Because of medical costs, most families are financially strapped. So many more families could attend, if CCA could finance their travel.

Written by Tim Ayers