Val’s Polar Bear Challenge

My grandson Henry was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate.

CLAPA came to his parents rescue. They received a free welcome pack which contained:

Special bottles and teats – either two MAM 8oz soft bottles and two MAM teats OR two Dr Brown’s bottles (one large, one small) and four Dr Brown’s teats

Medical information on caring for and feeding a baby with a cleft

Copy of CLAPA News, our annual magazine

‘Join the CLAPA Community’ leaflet

‘One in 700’ leaflet about CLAPA and cleft

‘Callie and her Cleft’ picture book about cleft lip and palate

Feeding equipment catalogue

Information from the Family Fund and the Cleft Collective

Relevant leaflets or postcards about upcoming CLAPA events such as Awareness Week

Each welcome box costs £40, but all parents receive them free.

CLAPA has kept them informed about speech therapy

I am aiming to raise £2000 (50 Welcome packs)

I will be doing the “Polar Bear Challenge” between November and March. I have to swim each month in open water. 2 swims of 250 meters and a total of 1000 meters each month. I’ll be in my cossie and swim cap only.

Please sponsor me or make a small donation (£1 for each month is only £5 in total).

Three babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate every day in the UK, and they face a 20-year treatment pathway which can continue well into adulthood. The Cleft Lip & Palate Association (CLAPA) is here to make sure no one has to go through this alone.

Every donation will help CLAPA to continue to provide specialist, targeted services to give people affected by cleft the knowledge and emotional support they need, while their UK-wide community brings together people from all walks of life to share experiences and learn to cope.

Thank you all!!