On Sunday, seven-year-old Juliana Letran waits with her mother, Marlene, in advance of her pre-surgical evaluation, during which she would giggle at Dr. Syboney Zapata’s stethoscope cover, a fluffy lion.

On Tuesday morning, after her secondary palatoplasty on Monday, Juliana sat up and sipped Gatorade while Dr. David Wainwright, who performed the surgery, pronounced her fit for discharge.

Photo by Kris Kennedy