and i have another doctor, thomas romo, who's going to do your nose. >> thank you. >> you are welcome. all right, let me talk to your mom so i can explain all this. >> children that are born with cleft lips, they also have a cleft lip nose deformity and they look like conner. so conner's nose, it wasn't just so much it was big, but his septum was totally obstructing his left airway. and the arch of his nose was totally under supported. >> what are you thinking about? >> new york really, and how i'll look after surgery and everything. >> i was wondering what he was thinking because he wasn't saying much. but i'm sure he was pretty happy. >> congrats, con. i'm happy for you. >> reporter: then, donovan's turn. he asked the foundation for a more prominent chin, but mom thinks he should keep his head up instead. >> how are you? >> pretty good, pretty good. >> i know that you were bullied because of your chin. but i want to tell you something. when i look at this application i see this handsome, 16-year-old guy. and from the pictures that you sent me it really just looks like you just need

thomas romo, a plastic surgeon, and his wife diane run the little baby face foundation, the group that renata and her mom heard about on the news. based out the romos' private practice in new york, the nonprofit treats low-income children with facial deformities. >> you take a child and you change the way they look. to anybody who sees them, they're good looking, that gives the child strength. we can't go after the bully. but we can try and empower the children. >> reporter: each year, hundreds of children apply to the foundation, and it could take several months to decide which kids the doctors will treat. "dateline" was invited to go inside the foundation to witness the process. >> this is kind of the meat and potatoes of the foundation. this is why we volunteer. >> reporter: inspired by his overseas missions treating children with facial deformities, dr. romo wanted to do the same in the u.s. and he recruited some of the best plastic surgeons in new york to help him. >> i said, "how much fat do you want to suck, and how many boobs do you want to do?" people are going to look at you