Carla Brown, a former attorney who transitioned into the role of a stay-at-home mother in Chicago, was the eldest among her seven siblings. Her upbringing in a large family served as an inspiration for her to one day create a family of her own.
Carla, along with her husband Paul, had two sons, Brent and Luke, while they were in their twenties. Subsequently, they decided to expand their family by adopting four more children: Sabrina, Ella, Logan, and Tessa.
Although Carla had achieved her dream of having a large family, she and her husband decided to further extend their household. In 2011, they embarked on a journey to Ukraine to adopt Henry, and in 2013, they welcomed three additional children: Violet, Leo, and Yana.
In June 2020, Carla came across a Facebook post from an adoption agency in Atlanta seeking a home for a one-month-old girl named Hanna, who had special needs. After discussing the idea with her husband, they met Hanna.
Doctors initially believed that Hanna might not survive more than 48 hours due to kidney failure and a significant drop in her body temperature. Nevertheless, after a 52-day hospital stay, Hanna was able to join her new family at home.
While Carla was fully prepared for the challenges of caring for a child with harlequin ichthyosis, she found it to be physically demanding. Daily care involved bathing Hanna for at least two hours and applying prescribed ointment every three hours.
At times, Hanna’s skin was so tight that turning her was a struggle. She also had deformities in her fingers and toes due to her condition, along with partial deafness resulting from skin-related ear canal blockage.
As a mother, Carla understands that her daughter will continue to face challenges in the future, but she is determined to confront whatever comes their way. She stated, “But like all the other challenges we’ve faced, we’ll face it head-on.”
Despite the difficulties they have experienced and will likely continue to face, these parents remain resilient and refuse to let their children’s childhood be overshadowed by a condition beyond their control.
Now, Hanna is growing up as a joyful and lively child. Her mother takes delight in sharing charming pictures of Hanna dressed in princess costumes and running around. Carla also shared a proud moment when Hanna displayed signs of speech while playing with her toys.
