One in 50,000 girls are born with a cloaca, where the genital tract, the urinary tract and the intestinal tract end together in one channel instead of three separate structures.

For these patients and their families, it can be a stressful time. They are coping with this rare diagnosis, preparing for a complex surgery and planning for specialized care into adulthood.  

It’s one of the reasons that UC Davis Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with Shriners Children’s Northern California, hosted a party this month for patients who have had cloacal repair. The “Super Clo-yay-ca Party,” held this month in Sacramento’s McKinley Park, provided a moment of celebration.

“We wanted to have a chance to honor the bravery and resiliency of our young patients and their families,” said pediatric colorectal surgeon Payam Saadai. Saadai and Eric Kurzrock, chief of pediatric urology, specialize in this rare and delicate surgical procedure to help children with a cloaca have the best possible future. Reconstruction of the three separate structures is done in a single surgery. It is a collaborative effort by a team of experienced pediatric surgeons, pediatric urologists, interventional radiologists and other specialists.

Children were invited to wear superhero costumes and members of their care team also had fun dressing up. Attendees had plenty of opportunities to make new friends, while playing parachute games, getting their faces painted and enjoying snow cones and a slice of cake. Kids went home with a party bag full of goodies.

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