This website is dedicated to sharing the story of Super Baby Faith and her progress.  Born on September 10, 2009, in Austin, Texas, Faith has severe bilateral microphthalmia, a congenital malformation resulting in minimal eye development.  Faith also has very small sinuses and is having difficulty getting enough oxygen on her own..

According to the International Children’s Anophthalmia/Microphthalmia Network, anophthalmia is a medical term that is used to describe the absence of the globe and ocular (eye) tissue from the orbit. The terms Anophthalmia and Microphthalmia (A/M) (small eyes) are often used interchangeably since CT scans or MRI show some remnants of either the globe or surrounding tissue in most cases.  Anophthalmia/Microphthalmia (A/M) may affect one eye with the other eye being normal, or both eyes, resulting in blindness.  A/M is rare, but the exact incidence is unknown. One report from a prospective study of 50,000 newborns found an incidence of microphthalmia of 0.22 per 1,000 live births. In a recent study in England, the prevalence of anophthalmia and microphthalmia was 1.0 per 10,000 births.  For more information about this condition, visit www.anophthalmia.org.

Kyle, Texas residents Bridget, 31, and Mike, 34, are Faith’s amazing parents.   They are originally from the St. Louis area and have no family in the Austin area.  They moved to Kyle two years ago because Mike, a mining engineer, was offered a job as a supervisor at a local rock quarry.  Sadly, Mike was laid off in October 2008 due to the sluggish economy.  He is now working, but, like many people in Central Texas, he has been unable to find a job in his industry.  Before giving birth, Bridget worked as a health and physical education teacher for Manor ISD.  She is currently on maternity leave.

Bridget and Mike are members of the The Connection Church in Kyle, Texas.

Faith’s initial brain MRI indicated that her brain structure is normal, but there are still uncertainties about whether she will have developmental delays.

As you can imagine, this family is overwhelmed with medical bills, utility bills and keeping up with the day-to-day activities that we take for granted.  Fellow church members, friends and family have stepped in to help, but additional support is needed.

Bridget keeps a positive attitude about her daughter’s prognosis and tells friends, “We have to just keep the faith.”

Please pray for Super Baby Faith and consider making a donation to the Super Baby Faith Benefit Fund.

Wildschuetz Family Life Update

Faith and her parents(Mike and Bridget) recently moved from Kyle, TX back to their home state of Missouri(St. Louis area). Due to the ongoing needs of Faith, Mike and Bridget felt that it was very important to be close to family as both Mike and Bridget’s families are in the St. Louis area. Another motivator for making the move was a job offer for Mike after being laid off. This job will provide financial support and stability for the family. Bridget resigned from her teaching position in Texas and is taking an extended leave from her teaching career to keep up with all of Faith’s appointments and needs.

Mike and Bridget are so grateful to their great friends in TX who have been so loving and supportive. The Wildschuetz’s are getting settled in Missouri and are surrounded by supportive family and friends that are helping them with the everyday challenges.