When a baby is born, most parents dream and plan for the many years to come. But there are two families focusing on the immediate blessings of their babies and a new found friendship.  At nine and ten months of age their futures are uncertain.  
Baby Ian Ellis cries for his juice just like most babies do.  But that cry and his ability to take the bottle is a big blessing to his family.

Baby Ian is just one of two babies in the state known to have an extremely rare genetic disorder.   Chance are you've never heard of this one.

Mary Ellis, Ian's Mother tells us it's riso melic chondrodisplasia puntada or rcdp.

Basicly it robs a newborn of health.

Mary Ellis says." Mainly bone issues it causes a lot of problems in their joints they have abnormal calcium deposits outside of their joints and that causes a lot of pain it causes cararacts and seizures."

In addition to that, Ian has a heart condition.  At ten months, he's already had major surgery.  Because of rcdp he has cataracts and will have surgery to remove them soon.

Mary Ellis says,  "We live day by day we don't know what this day holds we were given a life expectancy of 9 mos with ian and he' 10 and a half months now so most of the children don't survive the neo natal period."

Mary says she listened to God instead of what the doctors reccomened.  She also says, " They said don't worry about trying to feed him he can't eat and he takes a bottle wonderfully and eats home made baby food and eats by spoon all the time. He does many things the dr. Said he coulnd't do. "

She says she and her husband felt isolated , with a baby and such a rare disorder.  But five and a half weeks after ian was born, came a new friend... who had a baby also diabnosed with the very same disorder... at the same  hospital.  Keep in mind there have only been 120 documented cases in the entire world.TRACEY THOMAS. We couldn't believe it... It was the same family we'd already been praying for.

The Thomas family had the Ellis' on their church prayrer list before they'd ever met. 
. One family in Centre and the other in Sylacauga they talked for the firsty time on the phone. TRACEY. It was a connection we know was heaven sent.

Tracey says. "With something like this you want someone to say what is going to happen.  We just cried for awhile... It was just so nice to have somebody else to talk to who understood what we were going through."

Because of Mary Ellis, feeding her baby Ian, Tracy tried the bottoe for little Jackson too. It worked.

Tracey Thomas, Jackon's mom. " It give us hope the first obstacle they said he couldn't pass and he passed it. "

The two set up the first international RCDP conference here in Birmingham.  So a researcher could examine the babies in hope for a cure.

Mary says." We appreciate everything in life... Before you didn't appreciate the small things ... When Ian picks his arm up puts his lil hand on my hadn it makes you want to cry because he used to couldn't do that... And now he's just come so far and even now there's blessings in our life all day everyday.

 Mary Ellis is planning a team Ian Extravaganza to help raise awareness for rcpd.  To find out how you can help go to www.RHIZOKIDS.COM
TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP GO TO WWW.RHIZOKIDS.COM