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 with the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic where they were taught how to feed baby Donna. Her first surgery was soon thereafter and Donna has a scar on her right thigh where skin was removed to repair her lip. In July 1956, Dr. Marx repaired Donna’s palate at the Allentown Hospital, about three weeks before her third birthday. Donna wore gloves so as to not disturb any of the surgical work. Dr. Donald Clingan was Donna’s pediatric dentist throughout her childhood and part of the Clinic’s team approach to care that she remembers. The Clinic and Dr. Cooper helped Donna’s parents keep her at home and grow up with her family.
Donna remembers her family did not have a lot of extra money. They had what they needed, but not much extra. Cleft care can be expensive and the Clinic made sure Donna’s care was not a financial burden to her parents. She also remembers her parents doing all they could to shelter Donna from shame and bullying. Donna’s cleft remains visible into her nose and she was difficult to understand for much of her childhood. Starting at three years-old, Donna would visit the Clinic twice a month for speech therapy. Her diligence was rewarded by junior high when the other children would ask why her speech was so proper.
Donna remembers lots of photos of other children with a cleft on the walls of the Clinic and that it “felt like a home,” since Dr. Cooper founded the Clinic in his home. Donna still has a stocking with gifts that she received one year as a Clinic patient. 
“Probably not a day I don’t look in the mirror and think, why me?” says Donna. As a child, Donna would regularly cover her mouth when speaking, to bring less attention to the difference. It made her self-conscious. However, at 10 years-old, Donna started taking baton twirling at the community center and loved it. Excelling in twirling gave her confidence.
“Baton twirling is what really brought me out of my shell.” – Donna
Donna’s mentors encouraged her to audition to be a majorette at York High School and she was selected. She became the first Black Majorette at the high school and there have only been three others since. During Donna’s sophomore year, many from the Black community came to watch her perform and cheered with enthusiasm. Her cleft had nothing to do with her talents. 
“I’ve always been very proud of that accomplishment.” – Donna
At 19 Donna went to work for IBM in Washington, DC. Staying with the company until she retired and moved back to York to support her parents. As an adult, Donna underwent additional surgeries and dental work to continue to shape her smile. She even returned to the Clinic after moving back to York.
“I am truly grateful for all [the Clinic] did for all of my young years and many of my adult years.” – Donna
Today, when asked by a child why she looks different, Donna says, “It’s God’s way of finding me if he ever needs me.”
