Mason H Craniofacial Surgery: Mason’s Story

“We knew CBMC and the New Jersey Institute for Craniofacial Surgery was where we needed to be to get the best care for our son.”

My son Mason was born with bilateral cleft lip and palate in July 2022. My husband and I met John P. Amato, MD, DDS, a maxillofacial surgeon, plastic surgeon and Medical Director of the New Jersey Institute for Craniofacial Surgery located at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (CBMC), prior to delivery since we knew about the diagnosis before he was born. From the minute we met him, we knew CBMC and the New Jersey Institute for Craniofacial Surgery was where we needed to be to get them best care for our son. Once he was born, we met the entire team: Dr. Amato; Frank S. Ciminello, MD, plastic surgeon; Randi Schwartz-Zalayet, MS, CCC-SLP, speech therapist, and Laura L. Downey, MD, and Reynaldo Paraiso, DO, otolaryngologists (ENTs). The team is so kind, caring and professional. They put our minds at ease and answered every question we had. Our son has since had both his lip and palate repair surgeries, as well as ear tubes placed, with more surgeries to come in his future. We attribute his success before, during and after surgery to the team at the New Jersey Institute for Craniofacial Surgery.

The Helmlinger Family