An Oregon Christmas Miracle

It wasn't until this month that Delayza Diaz, age 9, was finally able to use her voice to tell her mother, "I love you, Mom." Delayza was born with a rare condition that causes a number of defects along the spine, upper airway, and esophagus, including hard cartilage where there would ordinarily be an opening for a voice box and windpipe.

Infants born with Delayza's condition often do not survive, according to Dr. Derek Lam, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) who has been Delayza's doctor for the past decade. Lam operated when Delayza was just two days old to stabilize her airway, and since that time she has communicated using what's called "buccal speech": by vibrating the inner lining of her cheeks to form words.

Last year, Lam completed a rare eight-hour surgery at OHSU to remove Delayza's abnormal cartilage and replace it with fresh cartilage from one of her ribs to build a new, bigger voice box. Lam inserted a stent to hold the voice box open for nearly a year, and Delayza has been working with voice therapists since the stent was removed. One of her vocal cords is now working, and this month -- for the first time in her life -- she was able to use her new voice. Because of the successful surgery, her physicians hope to remove the plastic tube that helps her breathe one day soon as well.

Delayza's voice is still low and raw, but Lam says he expects it will improve as she practices. In the meantime, both Delayza's mother and her dog, Nico, are surprised to hear her chatting around their home in Salem. When Nico hears her new voice, he starts barking.

Lam says he is hopeful that Delayza's new voice will change the direction of her life: “If you are in a situation where you need to call out for help, if no one can understand what she’s saying or what she needs, that could be a problem,” he said. “I think it certainly can open a lot of doors for her that maybe would have stayed closed before.”

As Jesus reminds us throughout the Gospels, "With God, all things are possible." As you look to the new year, how will you lean into your faith until you create a new habit of watching for miracles? For an opportunity to study Jesus' miracles together this February and March, look for the announcement below titled "Signs & Wonders." 

Advent blessings,

Jennie