The results are in: The Gerber baby is a joy to behold with her playful giggles and love to snuggle.
She is also the Gerber baby born with a limb defect, as baby Isa Slish (Oklahoma) was born without a part of her right leg.
The 7-month-old girl was announced the 2022 Gerber Photo Search winner on TODAY Wednesday. This surprised her parents Meredith, John and John live on air.
We are absolutely thrilled. Meredith shared the surprise with TODAY Parents. “Whenever you enter your child into a contest like this one, it is expected that someone will look at her photo. This is amazing and we are so happy.”
Isa smiled at TODAY’s hosts almost as soon as the news was announced. She was sitting on her mom’s lap.
Meredith said, “Isa’s a strong and amazing little girl who loves to interact with the environment around her and she will not be stopped by anything.” Her smile lightens up the room, and her laughter is irresistible.
Congenital Femoral Deficiency was present in Isa’s birth along with Fibular Hemimelia.
Meredith stated that Isa was special before she was born in September 2021. She has also shown that they knew that Isa would have a left leg without a femur and a fibula. We hope awareness of limb differences will help children like Isa, even as the world strives to embrace individuality.
Meredith told TODAY Parents that she would tell parents with similar diagnoses one thing: “There is hope.”
Gerber says that Isa enjoys playing with her toy rhino, the breeze, and talking to Temperance, her big sister.
Meredith stated that her older sister Tempy absolutely adores her. They share a strong bond.