Our story starts on Monday 29th March 2021 and much like many expectant parents, attending appointments always came with an element of apprehension and nerves.

As the sonographer conducted the ‘20 Week Scan’, it was very apparent that something wasn’t quite right.

An unnerving amount of time was spent examining the face… the lip.

“Is this when you’d identify a cleft lip?”

… to this day, I’ve no idea where this question came from. As the words left me, I just knew.

“I think I’ve found one!”

… and those words, that very short conversation, was the start of our journey.

Support came immediately.

Appointments came immediately.

Additional scans were scheduled immediately.

Our cleft nurse, our consultant, our surgeon, anaesthetists, nurses, the hearing team, the speech team… these people, and their roles, all became significant in our journey.

The support was incredible.

The cleft community invaluable.

… & CLAPA at the heart of it all, providing a wealth of support, advice and feeding equipment.

I reflect back on the last two and a half years and I look at our son, Ray, with such pride.

Two surgeries, many appointments… and a truly wonderful and inspirational boy to have conquered it all.

My Ray!

Our 1 in a 100,000.

Born with a Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate, Gum Notch and Van Der Woude Syndrome.

The happiest, bravest and most incredible little boy. May your journey continue to inspire everybody that you meet.

You really are amazing.

❤️

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Three babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate every day in the UK, and they face a 20-year treatment pathway which can continue well into adulthood. The Cleft Lip & Palate Association (CLAPA) is here to make sure no one has to go through this alone.

Every donation will help CLAPA to continue to provide specialist, targeted services to give people affected by cleft the knowledge and emotional support they need, while their UK-wide community brings together people from all walks of life to share experiences and learn to cope.