From a life-threatening birth defect to a healthy 6-year-old

Lori and Clay Smothers were overjoyed when they found out they were expecting a baby. Shortly after, the excitement turned to fear when an omphalocele – a birth defect of the abdominal wall that causes some organs to grow outside the body – was identified during a 12-week ultrasound. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital’s Fetal Center monitored Lori closely throughout her pregnancy and helped make Easton’s delivery possible. Shortly after his birth, Easton was transferred to Le Bonheur’s NICU and was under the care of the hospital’s pediatric subspecialists until he was 19-months old and his omphalocele was surgically repaired. He is now 6 years old and loves spending time outside with his dad!