Ironman inspiration to get fit this January
Two Januarys ago, Ben started running – and participated in his first Ironman triathlon last September, raising more than £3,300 for CLAPA.
While cleft lip and cleft palate is the most common craniofacial condition you can be born with, there are other kinds of cleft which affect the face and are much more rare.
Paul Tessier put these into numbered categories which describe their placement and severity. This is why they are often called ‘Tessier clefts’. Some affect only the soft tissue of the face, others affect the bone, some affect both.
This information page is under review. We will publish more information on other kinds of cleft as soon as we can. In the meantime, see below for stories from people affected by rare kinds of cleft.
Your Stories
Read stories from people affected by rare types of clefts in the UK
Fiona’s Story
“When they look in my mouth, I usually get the wide-eyed look of horror and sharp intake of breath. And then they say, ‘you’re a complicated case’.”