When Jamuna named her firstborn son Jenious, it was an act of hope.
Jenious was born by emergency C-section in a small hospital in Nepal. When his mother first saw his little face, she couldn’t contain her shock and fear. Her son was born with a cleft, a birth difference she’d never even heard of before. As a result, she spent the first few days of his life in a fog of worry.
Then, Jamuna had an epiphany.
“I told myself that I needed to snap out of the confused haze I was in,” she said. “When it came down to it, I just needed to be his mother and love him unconditionally.”
Jamuna summoned her courage and envisioned the best possible outcome, a life in which her son could excel academically and socially, going on to have a happy, productive adulthood. She hoped naming him Jenious would be a self-fulfilling prophesy.
Fortunately, many of this mother’s worries turned out to be unnecessary, as so many worries do. Doctors at their local hospital swiftly set Jamuna and Jenious on a path to wellness by referring them to a Smile Train partner hospital in Kathmandu that would heal his cleft free of charge!
Jenious had his first cleft surgery at B and B Hospital when he was just 3 months old. His health improved dramatically after the procedure, and he was able to eat and participate in traditional ceremonies and cultural events in his village.
When he was 3 years old, he was strong and healthy enough to have a second surgery. He only continued to thrive after this life-changing operation.
Now, at age 6, Jenious is living up to his name. He’s one of the top students in his class, and someday he wants to be a robotics engineer. He loves to practice kung fu, and he’s learning to play traditional Nepalese instruments. He’s also making amazing friends in school!
Jenious and his family know his success couldn’t have happened without Smile Train and their partnerships with local cleft experts. Jamuna hopes hearing Jenious’ story will help other parents learn that support is available to them, too.
Smile Train partner hospitals around the world are there to bring these life-changing cleft treatments to anyone who needs them, young or old, and always free of charge.
“It is okay to be surprised and afraid when your child is born with a cleft, but I want to reassure all other mothers of children with clefts that their babies will be okay – just love them,” Jamuna said.
It does our hearts good to see this child thriving after his difficult start in life. We can’t wait to see what he accomplishes as he gets older!
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