Iris Liesch of Watertown is a typical 5-year-old. She loves reading, riding her bike and playing with her puppy. She takes on any challenge with a contagious, upbeat personality. And she's had her share of obstacles. Born with a cleft lip and palate, Iris has had many surgeries in her young life and is a regular visitor to American Family Children's Hospital in Madison.

 

"When we go to the craniofacial clinic, everybody is there," says her mom Amy Liesch. "Your plastic surgeon, speech therapy, pediatric ENT, social worker, genetics counselor… everybody just makes sure you don't have questions and all your needs are taken care of."

 

 

Iris' Watertown pediatrician, Dr. Jeff Meade, is impressed with the pediatric specialty care his patients receive in Madison."With the new American Family Children's Hospital there is such a breadth of caring that you receive, that's different from other places," says Dr. Meade. "They talk to the families, they treat the families extraordinarily well and that's really what I'm looking for."

 

Iris' Story