What is Cleft Awareness Week?
Cleft Awareness Week is an annual campaign led by CLAPA to raise awareness of cleft lip and palate, challenge stereotypes, bust myths and celebrate the strength of the UK cleft community.
Each year, we bring together individuals, families, healthcare professionals and supporters to share stories, increase understanding, raise money and highlight the realities of living with a cleft.
It’s a chance to shine a spotlight on a condition that affects around 1 in 700 babies born in the UK, while amplifying the voices of those with lived experience and driving positive change in awareness, care and support.
What is cleft?
In early pregnancy, the different parts of a baby’s face develop separately and then join together. If some parts do not join completely, the baby is born with a cleft. It is extremely unlikely that a baby’s cleft was caused by anything the parents did or did not do during pregnancy. Even the healthiest, best-planned pregnancies can result in a cleft, and this is no one’s fault.
Community stories
Maddie
“If someone’s horrible to me, I try to meet them with every modicum of kindness I can muster. I think that makes them feel weirder than if I have a negative reaction, or I get offended or upset.”
Carol and Anton
“I got called some horrible nicknames at school because of my cleft. It really affected me mentally. If someone said ‘cleft’ I’d be out the room before they could say ‘palate’. Not now though. Now, I’ll happily talk for hours about it.”
Charlotte
“When I was 17, I was offered jaw surgery ‘to help me become an actor’ and make my face more ‘normal’. And what message is that saying? So, I decided, if I’m going to be successful, I want it to be as who I am. I want to be hired for my talent and energy.”
Lucy
“People think cleft is just about what your face looks like. The scar people see is the tiniest part of this whole journey – the constant medical care, operations, speech therapy, orthodontic treatment etc that feel like it goes on forever.”
Share your smile for Cleft Awareness Week!
This Cleft Awareness Week, we’re asking the cleft community to help us flood social media with their smiles!
Share a selfie, a family photo or a picture of your smile and help raise awareness of cleft lip and palate – a lifelong condition affecting around one in 700 babies born in the UK.
Every cleft journey is different and every smile tells a story. Behind those smiles may be surgeries, appointments, challenges and difficult moments – but also resilience, courage, community and strength.
By sharing our smiles together, we can help more people understand what cleft is, celebrate the incredible cleft community and remind others affected by cleft that they are never alone.
To take part, simply post your photo during Cleft Awareness Week using #CleftAwarenessWeek and tag @clapacommunity for a chance to be featured across our social media channels.
Stuck for what to say? Here’s some inspiration for your caption!
Every smile tells a story 💙
This week is CLEFT AWARENESS WEEK (16th – 24th May). It’s a time for the cleft community to come together to raise awareness, celebrate our strength and share our stories.
Around one in 700 babies in the UK is born with a cleft and no two journeys are the same.
Cleft is for life. It doesn’t ‘go away’ after surgery. Remember that behind every smile there may be challenges – but there is also incredible resilience.
So this week, I’m proudly sharing my smile for Cleft Awareness Week. Will you share yours?
To learn more about cleft lip and palate visit clapa.com
@clapacommmunity #CleftAwarenessWeek #ShareYourSmile
Get an exclusive CLAPA pin badge
Donate £10 or more this Cleft Awareness Week and receive an exclusive CLAPA pin badge to wear with pride and help raise awareness of cleft.
You can help us support, champion and celebrate the UK cleft community.