Ilyeon Xie gave birth to her first child, a boy named Hu Kang, in a town in Hunan Province, China, in 2009. Like any mother, she was looking forward to seeing her baby. But what she saw mere hours after delivery was unforgettable. When they brought her the infant, she became paralyzed with fear. Hu Kang was born with a rare and severe disease called bilateral transverse facial cleft.

The front half of his skull had not fused properly during fetal development, leaving two deep splits that ran from the corners of his mouth to his ears. It gave his visage a scary, nearly mask-like aspect. The family was heartbroken. Doctors indicated therapy was possible, but very expensive. In 2010, Ilyeon decided to ask for assistance.

She told journalists her story, and images of little Hu Kang elicited strong reactions. People from all around China, and eventually from beyond, began donating money for his treatment. Hu Kang endured two extremely complicated procedures as a result of the cash raised.

Surgeons attempted to restore the symmetry of his face. Although the initial results were far from flawless, doctors assured the family that significant alterations would be noticeable within ten years. And they were correct. Hu Kang appears to be a joyful schoolboy in images shot several years after his surgery. The deep clefts are gone, leaving just faint scars.