Baby Girl Born With Part of Her Intestine Outside Her Body — After 10 Surgeries, She Reached a Milestone Her Parents Once Feared She Never Would

When Michelle and Stephen Strickland welcomed their daughter Aubree, their lives changed in ways they could never have anticipated.

The little girl was born with an exceptionally rare and complex congenital condition known as OEIS syndrome, or cloacal exstrophy.

Part of her large intestine was exposed outside her body. Her bladder had not formed as a single closed structure, and the bones of her pelvis had not developed normally.

What followed was a childhood filled with hospital stays, complicated operations and milestones that carried extraordinary meaning for her family.

A Rare Diagnosis That Changed Everything

Aubree’s condition involved several parts of her developing body.

In addition to her exposed intestine and bladder differences, her urethra had not developed normally, and her pelvic bones had failed to close into their usual ring-shaped structure.

Her parents were suddenly faced with questions about her long-term health, mobility and independence.

Michelle wondered whether her daughter would eventually be able to dress herself, move around independently, attend school and build friendships.

Five Months in Hospitals

Aubree underwent her first operation shortly after birth.

She spent three months in intensive care at a hospital near her family’s home in South Carolina.

Her medical journey then took her to Boston Children’s Hospital, where she remained for another two months and underwent additional surgery.

Even after returning home, Aubree required extensive daily medical care.

Her parents received training and support from specialists while learning to manage her complex needs.

A 15-Hour Surgical Day at Age Four

As Aubree grew, her family faced another major decision.

Doctors recommended a complex operation involving her pelvis and urinary system.

Her parents were initially frightened by the prospect of surgery and the possibility that Aubree would need to wear a cast extending from her ankles to her chest for eight weeks.

Nevertheless, they agreed to proceed.

During a 15-hour day in the operating room, surgeons repositioned her pelvic bone and performed a procedure that created a new channel between her bladder and a small opening on her abdomen.

The operation became an important turning point in her childhood.

From Learning to Walk to Running and Dancing

Aubree had taken her first steps at the age of three.

Following her major operation at four, her family began noticing remarkable improvements in her mobility and independence.

She started running, jumping, dancing and participating in gymnastics.

She also became able to put on her own pants and gained greater independence in managing her bladder care.

For Michelle and Stephen, these ordinary childhood achievements were moments they had once struggled to imagine.

Ten Surgeries, and a Childhood Filled With Possibilities

When Boston Children’s Hospital shared Aubree’s story in December 2025, she was six years old.

She had traveled to the hospital ten times and undergone ten operations, with additional treatment still expected in the future.

But her life was not defined solely by medical appointments.

She had started first grade, made new friends and developed a close friendship with another little girl living with the same rare syndrome.

Her parents acknowledged that some days remained difficult. Nevertheless, watching Aubree grow had changed their understanding of what a fulfilling childhood could look like.

Her journey continues, but every new achievement gives her family another reason to celebrate.

Source: Boston Children’s Hospital, December 17, 2025 — Hard and Beautiful at the Same Time: Five Lessons of Raising a Medically Complex Child.