Hello!
A little about me...
Hi, my name's Beth!
I'm 24 years old. I have two beautiful golden retrievers who I love taking on long walks. I always adore travelling to new places and spending time with friends and family. I can get very competitive when playing games (especially Articulate!), and I enjoy going for a run most weekends. My obsession with Beyoncé is borderline ridiculous, I enjoy reading (and watching) Shakespeare and I am your ultimate 'foodie'.
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Most of all I love embracing new challenges, pushing myself to the limit and seeing how far I can go.
A little more about me...
I was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate.
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I've never wanted my cleft to define me or let it hold me back. I've always pushed myself to make sure I did everything I would do if I didn't have it. From acting and public speaking to being Head Girl at school where I talked to audiences of over a thousand people. This doesn't mean to say I've found living with a cleft easy.
I've struggled through the operations, appointments, questions, comments, and suffered with low self-esteem and anxiety. However, I have always found ways of coping with these challenges and rising above them, often with the unwavering support of my family and friends.
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I don't like sugar-coating the truth, because, funnily enough, having a cleft is not all about smiles. However, I always strive to see the silver linings in life and find the positivity even in the most challenging of circumstances. Here's my story of my cleft, and my experience as a cleft patient.
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(Please be aware that as much as I try to understand the technical terms and procedures, I can’t always be completely medically correct. Please use websites like the NHS, CLAPA and Smile Train to find out more info about the technical side of cleft).