At some point in life, it is hard to tell where the journey being traveled is going to lead. The mountains get really high and extremely difficult to climb, in our journey my son's condition is the mountain and all the added obstacles associated with this condition is the different altitudes. He
was born with Stickler Syndrome, being born with a cleft palate is one of the struggles.(Among other things...this condition affects everything in the body with collagen in it.) One thing that isn't ever explained to you in great detail is how important it is to find people who you can relate to. People who understand your struggles with one little thought shared. This is where the Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation of Smiles comes in. They are those people, every single one of them. Their ability to reach out and draw you in with love and support astounds me. I wish that we would have found them sooner in life. My son is only 5 years old, but it feels as if we've gone through so much more in those short 5 years than most people do in 20. The unconditional love & support received from my cleft family is amazing. Even now, 3 years after his palate repair. Any question I have, any question someone else has. We learn together, love together and overcome our mountains together. The drive Rachel (Milinda & so many others) has for this organization is amazing. Many great things will be accomplished here. I am glad to be a part of it, too. I cannot thank them enough.
