Have You Met Mary?
Mary was born with a cleft palate and several surgeons unsuccessfully tried to close the gap when she was a child. Wearing a prosthesis to help her eat, breath, and speak was the best option. It made a large difference in her life, but there was room for improvement. Due
Have You Met Donna?
Donna was born in York, Pennsylvania in August of 1953 with a cleft lip and palate. Her cleft lip extends into her nose. Donna’s mother shared stories of their church encouraging the family to place Donna in an institution. Her parents were not familiar with cleft and were quickly connected
Have You Met Ethan?
Ethan has a special smile and he’s not shy about sharing it. His parents, Michael and Ani, describe nine-year-old Ethan as energetic, outgoing, confident, and a lover of people. His magnetic personality and kind heart spread smiles wherever he goes. From the beginning of their marriage, Michael and Ani discussed
Have You Met Henry?
Before Henry was adopted, his mom, Amanda, was preparing her heart and home for a child with a cleft. She first heard about the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic on the radio while researching what life and care might look like for a child with complex craniofacial needs. As she explored
Have You Met Gabby?
A Bright Smile for the Happiest Girl The diagnosis of a cleft before birth is a surprise. But the finding of a cleft after birth, and after unremarkable scans, is the shock of a lifetime. Zachary McCauley and Samantha Coates welcomed twin girls – Gabby and Isabell – in 2018.
Have You Met Juniper?
Tristan Bond recalls a glow in the room on the August morning after his daughter, Juniper, was born to him and his wife Jette. “She was a perfect baby,” he says, remembering how he gazed at Jette and Juniper lit by the light of the sun and felt as though
Have You Met Allan?
Allan was the first patient at the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic in 1938. According to his daughter, Dr. Cooper was looking for patients who could benefit from speech therapy and Allan’s father signed him up. At the time, his speech was not understood by others and they assumed his was
Have You Met Elena?
“Miracle Baby.” That has been Elena’s nickname for 19 years, since her mother Laura was pregnant with her. A pregnancy rife with early complications resulted in weekly ultrasounds to monitor Elena’s growth and development and it was during one of those scans that Laura and Elena’s father were informed that
Have You Met Tony?
Tony was born in Honduras with craniofacial and lower limb differences. At nine months old, Cathy was able to bring him to the United States to receive care for his differences. Cathy works with a program that brings children to the States for care. Tony originally stayed with a family
Have You Met Myla and Hayden?
This story was originally published in the Spring Newsletter 2025 Smile Connection Grateful For Two Smiles to Treasure Kaitlyn Bain vividly recalls the day her unborn child received a surprising diagnosis. She visited May-Grant Obstetrics & Gynecology for her 20-week anatomy scan, anticipating discovering her baby’s gender, only to grow