In this episode of the Our Forever Smiles podcast, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Sarah Norwood to share her personal journey with her son Hollis's palate repair. From hospital recovery, feeding challenges, and pain management, to sleep regressions and speech milestones, Sarah offers candid insights and practical tips for parents navigating the cleft journey. We also answer questions from cleft mom groups to provide reassurance, guidance, and support.

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In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura welcomes returning guest Corinne for her third appearance on the podcast. Born with a cleft lip and palate, Corinne shares her lifelong journey through more than 30 surgeries, including repeated palate repair failures, innovative fat grafting procedures, and the emotional toll of navigating cleft care into adulthood.

Together, Laura and Corinne discuss acid reflux as a lesser-known contributor to palatal repair failure, the trauma many adults carry from childhood surgeries, parenting while undergoing medical procedures, and why reframing "failure" as partial success can be life-changing. Corinne also provides updates on the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA), her advocacy work with Smile Train, and what cleft families and adults can do to navigate insurance, language, and long-term care.

This episode is a must-listen for cleft parents, adults with cleft lip and palate, advocates, and anyone seeking hope, validation, and honest conversation about what the cleft journey can look like beyond childhood.

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In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura speaks with Erica, Executive Director of the Children's Craniofacial Association, about growing up with an undiagnosed craniofacial difference and finding her voice through advocacy. Erica shares her lived experience navigating surgeries, self-image, and the long road to confidence. Together, they discuss the importance of language, accessibility, parent advocacy, and building inclusive community spaces. This conversation offers perspective, reassurance, and hope for families navigating facial difference at any stage.

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In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura speaks with Christina, a first-time mom from Serbia whose son was prenatally diagnosed with a cleft lip and palate at 26 weeks. Christina shares her experience navigating diagnosis, specialist care, and preparation for surgery within a different healthcare system. She opens up about feeding challenges, NAM therapy, finding community support, and learning to trust herself as a parent. This episode offers reassurance and perspective for families around the world facing a cleft diagnosis.

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In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura welcomes back cleft advocate Sam to share his powerful lived experience growing up with bilateral cleft lip and palate. Born in Bulgaria and adopted to the U.S., Sam opens up about early surgeries, speech challenges, bullying, and navigating identity as both an adoptee and someone with a facial difference. Together, they discuss global stigma, harmful language, media representation, and why authentic inclusion matters. This conversation offers perspective, reassurance, and practical insight for parents raising children with cleft and for adults advocating for change.

*Tom Burke is the actor who was born with a cleft from the movie Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

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Episode 67: Breaking the Ice: Sam Rosen on Growing Up with a Cleft Lip and Palate and Owning His Story

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Smile Train Statement Against Werewulf Movie

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In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura sits down with Natalie and Alec, parents to Zaid, who was born with a cleft lip and palate. They share their experience navigating a prenatal diagnosis, an unexpected NICU stay, feeding challenges, and learning how to advocate within a complex medical system. This honest conversation highlights the importance of asking questions, finding community support, and trusting your instincts as a parent. A must-listen for families preparing for birth or feeling overwhelmed in the early weeks of the cleft journey.

In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura speaks with Meirah, a mother, author, and advocate whose son was born with a complete bilateral cleft lip and palate. Meirah shares her experience navigating a surprise diagnosis at birth, feeding challenges, and seeking cleft care across multiple countries. She reflects on choosing early surgical repair, raising a confident child, and how lived experience led her to write her book A Broken Smile. This conversation offers reassurance and perspective for parents at any stage of the cleft journey.

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His Broken Smile

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In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura sits down with Stephanie, a cleft mom and Executive Director of the Face-to-Face Foundation. Stephanie shares her family's prenatal cleft diagnosis journey, the realities of cleft care, and how lived experience led her into advocacy work. Together, they discuss the importance of community connection, medical grants, and supporting families beyond surgery. This conversation offers reassurance, perspective, and hope for parents navigating a cleft diagnosis at any stage.

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Face-to-Face Foundation Gala

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