SANDY DIAZ: A LITTLE GIRL’S BRAVE JOURNEY TO OVERCOME A LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION

When Sandy Diaz was born, her family faced an immediate and frightening reality. She was born with a softball-sized growth on her neck and face that severely blocked her airway and directly threatened her life. The condition, known as a severe lymphatic malformation, presented extraordinary medical challenges right from her very first moments in the world.

In the early stages of her treatment, medical professionals attempted several non-invasive procedures to help her. Doctors tried to drain the mass and administered specialized injections in an effort to shrink the swelling. Unfortunately, these conservative treatments were simply not enough to relieve the severe pressure on her airway or address the physical burdens of the mass.

Before her life-changing surgery took place over two years ago, the physical impact of the condition was devastating. Little Sandy could not walk, nor could she even crawl. The sheer size and weight of the lymphatic malformation restricted her movement, robbed her of normal childhood development, and kept her immobilized.