Lizzy Vogel has car racing in her blood.
The 8-year-old from Meyersdale, Pa., is a fourth-generation racer, racing in the Hagerstown Quarter Midget Association in Maryland. Her father, mother, and younger sister are all racers themselves.
Asked her favorite part about racing, Lizzy doesn't hesitate.
"Winning," she says. She won five dirt-track races during the 2024 season and hopes to double that number in 2025.
Lizzy has proven her mettle on and off the track. Born with a cleft lip and palate, she has undergone a dozen surgeries in her young life, all through the Cleft-Craniofacial Center at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
"She is so strong," says Caitlyn, Lizzy's mom. "She amazes me every day. It doesn't matter what she's been through; she always has a smile on her face."
A Prenatal Diagnosis
Lizzy's parents learned she had cleft lip and palate before her birth. Caitlyn had a 3D sonogram taken during her second trimester, which revealed the cleft lip and palate.
Caitlyn and her husband, Ed, were referred to the Cleft-Craniofacial Center at UPMC Children's. They met the team who would care for Lizzy after her birth and learned more about cleft lip and palate.
Meeting the team helped prepare her and Ed for what to expect after Lizzy was born, Caitlyn says.
"At first, it was really scary, even though we knew ahead of time, because (I was a) first-time mom and you're taking on all this extra roles of being kind of a special-needs parent," she says. "So, yeah, it was very scary. But it was so nurturing knowing we had a team behind us for anything we needed."
When Lizzy was born, some of the biggest challenges came in areas like feeding.
"She was choking on fluids, and we're thickening stuff," Caitlyn says. "The whole game plan of what I wanted to do with her when she was born kind of changed."
Lizzy's doctors also fitted her for a nasoalveolar molding (NAM) device, a specialized tool designed to decrease the size of the gap in the lips. The device did not work as well as hoped, so Lizzy ultimately had to have more surgeries.
A Schedule of Surgeries
Cleft lip and palate repair follows a structured treatment plan. Surgeries, which typically begin when kids are just babies, help to close the gaps in the lips and roof of the mouth. Treatment can also help address other problems caused by cleft and palate, such as breathing and language development.
Lizzy had her first surgery before she turned 1 year old to repair her cleft lip.
"I think the biggest anxiety is the waiting and not knowing what's going on, but you just have to put all your faith in those doctors and nurses that are back there with her," Caitlyn says.
The surgeries continued through Lizzy's childhood, each one helping to repair a specific issue.
The family developed a close relationship with members of Lizzy's care team, including plastic surgeons Alex Davit III, MD, and Michael Bykowski, MD, and David Chi, MD, the chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology.
"The whole environment (at UPMC Children's) is amazing," Caitlyn says. "From the activities that they come around and do to keep them comfortable before surgery to make them ready, to even the nurses that take her back, the doctors. I think it's just a great environment for everybody."
A Champion Child
Lizzy has had to overcome a lot in her life. Beyond the surgeries, she also dealt with bullying from a young age, Caitlyn explains.
"You get a lot of stares," Caitlyn says.
As difficult as that was, Caityln adds that Lizzy developed "a strong backbone" and self-esteem.
"It kind of put a stop to it real quick,” Caitlyn says.
When she was just 5 years old, Lizzy decided she wanted to help other kids with cleft lip and palate. She and her family created Lizzys Snuggles for Cleft, a program where she sends care packages to children with cleft lip and cleft palate.
“I wanted to take care of other kids like me," Lizzy says.
Lizzy and her family run the program independently and have sent packages to children around the country. Each care package includes a blanket, toothbrush, toothpaste, book, and stuffed bear.
In addition to that, Lizzy recently organized an Easter egg hunt for children at Bedford Speedway.
“She’s always been that lending hand type of kid," Caitlyn says. "She’s putting a smile on other kids, too.”
Lizzy's efforts to help others earned her a prestigious honor in late 2024, as Hoosier Racing Tire named her a 2025 Hoosier Hero. The recognition goes to people who represent the sport of racing by being a role model on and off the track.
As part of the Hoosier Hero recognition, Lizzy had the opportunity to attend the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in December 2024 in Indianapolis, Ind. The event is a three-day celebration of racing, featuring conferences, exhibits, product showcases, and more.
Lizzy says the entire event was "awesome." She especially enjoyed getting a surprise visit from Garrett Alberson, a driver on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
"He's my favorite driver," Lizzy says.
Looking to the Future
Lizzy had her most recent surgery in November 2024, just weeks before attending the PRI Show. The procedure used a bone graft from her hip to seal the area where her gum line didn't come together.
The hope is that this surgery will be her final surgery until she's a teenager.
Because of an emergency surgery for another patient, Lizzy's surgery — originally scheduled for the morning — didn't take place until late in the afternoon.
As usual, Lizzy took the challenge like a champion. Caitlyn says her daughter ended up having a "dance party" with members of her care team while waiting for surgery.
“They were like, ‘She is such a rock star because most kids would have been so beyond themselves,’” Caitlyn says.
Lizzy says she wants to continue her racing when she grows up, maybe even becoming a professional driver. But she's also got another career in mind: She wants to be a surgeon to help kids like her.
She says she's grateful for the care she's received at UPMC Children's.
"They're kind," Lizzy says. "They take good care of us."
Lizzy’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.