Girl Can Smile In Time For Birthday

The 7-year-old girl whose nerve disorder gave her a perpetually sad look is now grinning ear-to-ear after two delicate surgeries.

Chelsey Thomas turns 8 next week and she’s practicing for a big party to debut her new smile. The June 29 birthday celebration includes a huge party and a limousine ride to Disneyland for Chelsey Day at the theme park.

“She’s been to Disneyland before, but she’s never been able to smile” while she was there, her mother, Lori Thomas, said Thursday.

Doctors who operated on each side of her face in December and April had predicted it would take six to eight weeks before they would know whether their efforts were successful.