Members

[30 Sep 2011]

My name is Marianne Ryan and my daughter Jessica was born in June 2010 with Pierre Robin Sequence. Her condition was so severe that she had to be on her tummy at all times otherwise her tongue flopped back blocking her airways and she was unable to breathe. She was also fed through a NG feeding tube (through her nose and into her stomach) as she was unable to suck.

It was not the start to motherhood I had expected. I remember struggling with both the practical side of caring for my newborn and my feelings – I felt so isolated and overwhelmed, but most of all lonely. My daughter had a team of medical professionals looking after her but I didn’t have anyone to talk to who could understand what it was like for me as a first time mother.

My daughter is now 13 months and a lively happy little character. She has just had her cleft palate repaired, her jaw and tongue have grown naturally, and we are looking forward to a bright future.

However, I really want to offer parents the encouragement and comfort I needed when Jessica was younger. That is why we are setting up the Peterborough Happy Faces Group. Meeting monthly, we will offer parents somewhere to go for a chat, a coffee and maybe a cake! We hope to be able to give you a sense of community, understanding, a place to laugh about the same things, talk about problems, and help each other.

The group hed their frst meeting on Monday 1st August in Kiddicare’s café in Peterborough at 1.30pm and now meet at the same time on the first Monday of every month.  We would love you to join us and look forward to meeting you and your child(ren).  You are welcome to just turn up or contact one of us to let us know you are coming so we can look out for you.

If you would like to find out more, please contact Marianne Ryan, mum of Jessica, on 01733 719 347 or 07715 710 267 or email her at Or, alternatively, you can contact Catherine Toms, mum of two boys, the eldest of whom, Harrison, aged 3 who was born with a cleft lip and palate. Catherine can be contacted on 07595157832 or at .

If you live in the East of England and are interested in setting up your own support group, please contact Claire Cunniffe, East of England Regional Coordinator on 07854 298304 or at .