Gavin Silvestri, who is just eighteen-months-old, was born with lymphatic malformation – abnormal growth of cysts within the head and neck area.
His parents Victoria Silvestri and Joseph Silvestri are sharing Gavin’s story through social media to help other parents of children with a similar condition.
Watch the eighteen-months-old with lymphatic malformation
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Video Credit: Rumble
His parents say that Gavin is a special little boy and their ‘little warrior’.
Gavin’s parents came to know about his condition during the18-week anatomy scan.
Victoria told Barcroft TV: “We were there to try to figure out if he was a boy or a girl and to measure all of his limbs and heart. The ultrasound technician was doing her scan, everything was fine up until the point where she says, ‘Let me go grab the doctor’.”
“We didn’t think of anything of it until then, the doctor looked at us and told us he has some sort of mass – it might be what’s called a cystic hygroma or lymphatic malformation.”
After being born, Gavin spent seven months in the hospital.
The couple says they were worried about Gavin’s future but now he has completely changed their life.
Victoria told Barcroft TV: “Gavin is a special little boy because he is the light of our life. He has changed the way we view life completely. Changed our mindset on basically everything; how we live, how we used to do things.”
“We still try to keep it somewhat normal, but I mean he’s just completely amazing.”
The couple, who is now sharing Gavin’s story online, has been contacted by a number of parents of children with lymphatic malformation.
The couple said: “Thousands of people all over the world have reached out. By having that feedback and having people reach out to me, I know I‘m doing what I wanted to do – raise awareness and help families.”
“Hopefully they didn’t feel as helpless as Joe and I did when we first started out. Having a child with a visible difference has taught me life is precious.”
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