What does it look like to grow up with a cleft lip and palate—and thrive?

In this inspiring episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura Arroyo sits down with Malaki Ta'ase, Division I football player at Iowa State University, husband, father, and cleft advocate, to talk about his journey from childhood surgeries and speech therapy to competing at the highest levels of college athletics.

Malaki shares how his parents and siblings helped build his confidence, why openness about his cleft made a lasting impact on his self-image, and how meeting other people in the cleft community shaped his perspective. He reflects on navigating questions from peers, overcoming insecurities, pursuing big dreams, and embracing what he now considers his "superpower."

For parents raising a child with a cleft diagnosis, this conversation offers reassurance, hope, and a powerful reminder that a cleft does not define a child's future. From family life and football to advocacy and self-acceptance, Malaki's story highlights the resilience, possibility, and joy that can grow from even the most challenging beginnings.

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, individual born with a cleft, or someone looking for encouragement, this episode is filled with practical wisdom and heartfelt perspective.

Links:

Malaki on Instagram

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group

What does it mean to grow up alongside a sibling with a disability, and who supports the siblings along the way?

In this heartfelt episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura sits down with pediatric dentist and mom Amy Kebriaei and her daughter, Leily Kebriaei, to discuss life with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome from a sibling's perspective. Amy shares the emotional journey of receiving her daughter Roya's diagnosis, navigating complex medical needs, and building a support network for families facing similar challenges.

Leily offers a powerful and honest look at what it's like growing up with a sister who has special needs, balancing advocacy, friendship, responsibility, and the everyday realities of being a sibling. She also shares the inspiration behind Sib Support, an online support group she created for teens who have siblings with long-term disabilities.

Together, they explore disability awareness, sibling relationships, self-advocacy, inclusion in schools and activities, and the importance of creating spaces where siblings feel seen and supported. This episode is a moving reminder that every family member is impacted by a diagnosis, and that connection, understanding, and community can make all the difference.

Whether you're a parent, sibling, caregiver, or advocate, this conversation will leave you inspired by the resilience, compassion, and love that exist within the special needs community.

Links:

Sib Support Registration

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group

In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura sits down with Kailey Kuck to share the emotional journey of welcoming her daughter, Ember, who was unexpectedly born with a cleft palate and additional medical challenges. Kailey Kuck opens up about navigating feeding difficulties, advocating for the right medical team, receiving rare genetic diagnoses, and learning to trust her instincts as a mother.

This honest conversation highlights the importance of self-advocacy, finding compassionate providers, and remembering that every child deserves to be seen for who they are, not their diagnosis. Whether you're navigating a new cleft diagnosis or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that you're not alone.

What is it like to grow up with a cleft palate and learn to find your voice in a world that often feels intimidating? In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura sits down with Delaney, a professional in the medical device industry who was born with a cleft palate, to discuss her personal journey through surgeries, speech therapy, self-confidence challenges, and ultimately finding the courage to speak up and advocate for others.

Delaney shares what it was like for her family to receive a surprise cleft diagnosis at birth, her early memories of hospital stays and surgeries, and how years of speech therapy helped shape her communication skills. She opens up about childhood insecurities, navigating bullying, and the lasting impact cleft can have on confidence and self-expression.

Together, Laura and Delaney explore the unique perspective of being born with a cleft palate, the importance of advocacy, and why encouraging children to use their voice can be one of the greatest gifts parents can give. Delaney also offers heartfelt reassurance to parents who may be facing a new cleft diagnosis, reminding them that their child can live a happy, vibrant, and fulfilling life.

Whether you're a cleft parent, a cleft-affected adult, or a healthcare professional supporting craniofacial families, this conversation is filled with hope, encouragement, and practical wisdom.

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group

In this deeply moving episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Amy Lewis Hofland, Director of the Crow Museum of Asian Art in Dallas, Texas, and an adult born with a cleft lip and palate. Amy shares her personal journey growing up with cleft, navigating years of surgeries, childhood bullying, self-image challenges, and the emotional realities that often went unspoken within families.

Together, Laura and Amy explore the lasting impact of cleft beyond the operating room, discussing resilience, identity, family dynamics, and the importance of emotional support for both children and parents. Amy reflects on how art, mindfulness, compassion, and community became powerful tools for healing throughout her life and career.

The conversation also touches on sibling experiences, beauty standards, public speaking, parenthood, advocacy, and how creating spaces for silence, reflection, and connection can help individuals affected by cleft thrive. Amy offers heartfelt encouragement to parents currently facing a cleft diagnosis, reminding them that their child is whole, beautiful, and capable of living a full and meaningful life.

Whether you're a cleft parent, an individual born with a cleft, a healthcare professional, or someone seeking inspiration through stories of resilience and compassion, this episode is filled with wisdom, hope, and perspective.

Links:

Buy Me a Coffee

Pocket Sunrise - Amy Hofland on IG

Oral Fixation Video

In this powerful and hope-filled episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura Arroyo sits down with three incredible leaders in the cleft and craniofacial community: Suzanne Santomieri, Stephanie Hassen, and Jessi Hill. Together, they discuss the emotional realities of supporting cleft families, the importance of community care, and the exciting launch of the 100 Cleft Portrait Tour.

This moving conversation explores what it truly means to walk alongside cleft families — from prenatal diagnosis through surgeries, school years, and beyond. Suzanne and Stephanie also share their personal experiences as cleft moms, while Jessi offers insight into the deeply impactful role of a cleft care coordinator.

The episode also highlights the inspiring work behind the 100 Cleft Portrait Tour, a nationwide art exhibit created by UK artist Katie Manning, featuring 100 portraits celebrating the beauty, resilience, and individuality of people born with clefts. Families attending the North Carolina stop can expect art, connection, storytelling, community activities, and the opportunity to meet other cleft families who truly understand the journey.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• What cleft care coordinators actually do behind the scenes
• Supporting families through prenatal cleft diagnoses
• The emotional realities of parenting a child with a cleft
• Why visibility and storytelling matter in the cleft community
• The power of community events and peer support
• The future of cleft advocacy and care
• Details about the 100 Cleft Portrait Tour coming to North Carolina

This episode is a beautiful reminder that cleft families are never alone — and that healing happens not only through surgeries and treatment, but also through connection, representation, and shared experiences.

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group

In this heartfelt episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura Arroyo sits down with pediatric dentist and cleft mom Dr. Jordan Virden for an honest conversation about navigating the cleft journey from both sides of the chair. As a volunteer on the Johns Hopkins Cleft Team and a first-time mom to baby Eli, Jordan shares what it was like receiving a prenatal cleft diagnosis despite already working closely with cleft patients throughout her professional career.

Together, Laura and Jordan discuss the emotional reality of hearing "your baby has a cleft," preparing for labor and delivery, feeding challenges, lip adhesion surgery, and the unique perspective of being both a provider and a parent. Jordan also offers valuable insight into cleft-related dental care, including missing teeth, extra teeth, oral hygiene concerns, and what parents should expect as their child grows.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Receiving a cleft diagnosis during the anatomy scan
• Preparing emotionally and medically for birth
• Lip adhesion surgery and recovery
• Feeding with specialty bottles and the blue disc system
• Common dental differences in children with clefts
• Preventing cavities and oral health complications
• The emotional toll of surgeries and returning to work postpartum
• Advocacy, resilience, and supporting cleft families

This conversation is full of warmth, reassurance, practical guidance, and hope for parents navigating life with a child born with a cleft lip or palate. Whether you're newly diagnosed or years into your journey, this episode reminds you that your child can thrive — and so can you.

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group

In this deeply informative and compassionate episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Bethea sits down with longtime genetic counselor Robin Imagire to unpack one of the biggest questions cleft families ask: Why did this happen?

With over 30 years of experience working alongside craniofacial teams, Robin shares honest insight into the complex world of cleft genetics, including what "multifactorial" really means, why most clefts don't have a clear-cut answer, and how environmental and genetic factors may work together. Laura also opens up about her daughter Giselle's cleft palate journey, her family's experience with genetic testing, and the emotional weight many parents carry while searching for answers.

Together, they discuss:

• Why NIPT testing often doesn't detect clefts
• Common syndromes associated with cleft lip and palate
• Pierre Robin Sequence, Van der Woude syndrome, and 22q deletion
• The truth about the MTHFR gene and cleft rumors online
• Whether clefts can be prevented
• The emotional side of receiving a diagnosis as a parent

This episode is filled with reassurance, practical education, and the reminder every cleft parent needs to hear: you are not alone, and this is not your fault.

Whether you're newly diagnosed, navigating surgeries, or simply trying to better understand your child's cleft journey, this conversation offers clarity, comfort, and hope.

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group

In this deeply moving episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Maria, a cleft mom from Greece, to share her powerful journey of navigating a prenatal cleft diagnosis, unexpected fear, and finding strength through motherhood and community.

Maria opens up about the emotional moment she learned her son had a cleft lip, the devastating and ultimately incorrect Down syndrome scare she received from her first doctor, and how that experience forever changed her as a mother, wife, and advocate. She shares the realities of cleft care in Greece, where resources and feeding supplies are limited, and how a small but passionate Facebook community of cleft families became a lifeline of support.

Together, Laura and Maria discuss NICU experiences, surgery fears, feeding challenges, postpartum emotions, and the incredible resilience parents discover when advocating for their children. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that no matter where you are in the world, cleft families are connected through love, courage, and community.

Whether you are newly diagnosed, preparing for surgery, or simply searching for reassurance, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, supported, and less alone.

Links:

Greek FB Group

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group

In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Kindsay, a first-time mom navigating life with her six-month-old son born with a cleft lip and palate.

Kindsay shares her deeply personal journey — from receiving an unexpected diagnosis late in pregnancy to navigating the emotional realities of birth, NICU time, feeding challenges, and her son's cleft lip repair. She opens up about the overwhelming moments, the learning curve of caring for a medically complex baby, and the strength she discovered along the way.

Together, Laura and Kindsay discuss the realities many cleft parents experience but don't always talk about: advocating for your baby, managing feeding struggles, preparing for surgery, and coping with the emotional weight of the first year.

Kindsay also offers heartfelt advice to parents who may have just received a cleft diagnosis — reminding them that while the journey can feel overwhelming, they are not alone and there is hope ahead.

If you're a parent navigating a cleft diagnosis or looking for reassurance from someone who understands, this episode is for you.

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee

FB Support Group