David Boreanaz

WINCHESTER, Ind. (NLI) - At the tender age of 12 , Josh Griffin faces the chance to change his life. He was born with Pierre Robin Syndrome, a rare condition that affects facial bone structure.

His jaw is smaller then normal and his jaw bones are fused closed. He can open his mouth enough to breath and to eat.

Another result of the syndrome is a soft palette on the roof of his mouth. The result is that it is almost impossible for him to control the air flow to create words.

Three years ago Riley Hospital told the Griffin family there wasn’t anything they could do to help Josh. Then Shelly Griffin, Josh’s mom, heard from a friend about Dr. James P. Bradley, a reconstructive plastic surgeon in California who specializes in pediatrics.

"He tells me he can help him, and fix him" Shelly Griffin recalled. "We are hoping for movement in our jaw, like everyone else, his speech to be so much better because they will fix the inside of his mouth and control the air flow. We are hoping that he will hopefully be like everybody else."

Bradley after hearing the plight of the Griffin family chose to waive his normal fees for surgery. He offered to work on Josh for free. He also got Shelly and Josh in touch with the Facing Forward Foundation.

Facing Forward is a not-for-profit national organization that focuses on facial disabilities. Last year Josh attended the Facing Forward banquet and was surprised to discover that actor David Boreanaz was going to be his sponsor. The actor paid for all of the family’s medical bills for an entire year.

Bad news came when the family learned a month before Josh’s most recent scheduled surgery that the new sponsor lined up for this year, through the foundation, had fallen through.

This left little time for the family to pull together the $18,500 needed for the one night stay at the UCLA hospital in Los Angeles. The community immediately rode to Josh’s aid.

"A lot of moms in the area have just gotten together. You know we hounded the newspaper, and hounded the radio stations and sent out emails and put out buckets, and just did what we can so that he can. He’s gonna have that surgery that he needs," explained Lisa Haney, a local mom who helped with the fundraising.

The community raised the money with two days to spare before Josh left for California. And the fundraising hasn’t stopped.

"This is his fourth surgery, and he needs a couple more, maybe two more." Shelly said. She also went on to explain that the money would only cover the hospital stay overnight, not the cost of the anesthesiologist or the cost of their stay in California.

After the surgery, before the family returns to Indiana, they are attending their second Facing Forward Foundation benefit in hopes of finding a new sponsor.

Donations are still being collected at local National Federal Savings Bank locations.