Tagged with:Parent Stories

  • Jerry-Leigh’s Story

    19 May 2022

    Charlie was diagnosed with a cleft lip & bilateral talipes at our 20-week scan; he measured a small head, which made professionals think there was more to it than what meets the eye.

  • Theresa’s Story

    18 May 2022

    I guess our story begins where most others do. We found out our baby has a unilateral cleft lip & palate at our 20-week anomaly scan. At first, Tom & I weren't really that bothered - we didn't know much about it; apart from that, it affected how a child looks and can be fixed.

  • Rachael’s Story

    13 May 2022

    Rachael's daughter Anya was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Rachael reflects on their journey over the past year from diagnosis to lip repair surgery.

  • Stacey's little boy

    Stacey’s Story

    4 May 2022

    I'm Stacey, and I was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate. As a young girl, I was confident and happy, but when I got to secondary school, I was bullied about my appearance, and my self-esteem was low.

  • Miguel celebrating his 3rd Smile-versary in February 2022!

    Natasha’s Story

    4 May 2022

    Natasha's son was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, and she shared Miguel's journey so far from surgery to speech therapy.

  • A baby asleep in a photo studio, leaning on rainbow blocks, wearing a cream dress with a cream background.

    Eva’s Story

    7 Apr 2022

    In February 2021, we headed off for our 20-week scan. We were so happy to be told we were expecting another girl, but a lot of silence soon followed, and the sonographer said, “I suspect little one may have a cleft lip.”

  • A baby sitting in a swing in a park wearing blue

    Brooklyn’s Story

    29 Mar 2022

    I remember going for my first scan; I was so excited to see my teeny little baby on the screen, but little did I know I would be told my baby would be born with a cleft lip and potentially a cleft palate too.

  • A baby sleeping, covered by a blue, cream and brown knitted blanket

    Emma’s Poem for Sully

    25 Mar 2022

    Emma has written a beautiful poem for her son Sully, who was diagnosed at 20 weeks with a cleft. We caught up with her and how they are finding the journey so far.

  • A young boy wearing a blue coat and wellies, stood on a path by grass.

    Benjamin’s Story

    25 Mar 2022

    Michelle's son Benjamin was born with a cleft palate. Michelle reflects on their journey so far, from diagnosis to surgery, and the challenges they overcame.

  • A baby in a white sailor shirt looks at the camera and sits on a blanket patterned with elephants

    Ashleigh, Brad and Arthur’s Story

    17 Dec 2021

    From diagnosis to lip repair surgery and raising £2,500 for CLAPA, Ashleigh reflects on Arthur's cleft journey so far and hopes for a world where more people are cleft aware.