Bridget Goad

My husband, Brian, and I are the proud parents of two special, sweet little girls — Lily, age 5, and Briley, age 3. In April 2009, Dr. Mark Ray, Pediatric ENT at Children's Hospital, diagnosed Briley with a genetic disorder known as Velocardiofacial Syndrome/22q.11 deletion. Without the help from Dr. Ray and his staff, we may never have known her diagnosis. We are very thankful for what Dr. Ray has done and also for the care she receives from several pediatric specialists at Children's Hospital who manage her care.

Throughout Briley's journey to help raise awareness and educate the community about Velocardiofacial Syndrome, I started a support group in East Tennessee -- Little Faces, Big Hearts (www.littlefacesbighearts.com)-- for families with special needs children. By serving on the Family Advisory Board, I hope our family's experience can help and benefit other families that seek care at Children's Hospital.