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Hello!
My name's Beth
I was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate.
This is the story of how my difference changed my life.
Explore
4 min read
Rational vs. Irrational
< Psychology While growing up with my cleft lip and palate, I was supported by loving friends and family. Yet sometimes this just wasn’t...
4 min read
What is 'Normal'?
Psychology Growing up with my cleft lip and palate, I always said I just wanted to be 'normal'. My cleft didn't make me feel 'unique' or...
3 min read
An Internal Transformation
< Psychology I have suffered with low self-esteem for years. I would be unnecessarily self-conscious and self-critical because of my...
7 min read
Memories of Feeling 'Different'
< Psychology Being made to feel ‘different’ is not an expected part of being born with a cleft lip and palate, but it is certainly not...
3 min read
When People Leave/Retire
< Psychology/Dealing with Disappointment Sadly, this is an inevitable part of being an NHS patient for over twenty years, where your...
4 min read
'The First Time in 30 Years'
< Psychology/ Dealing with Disappointment Before reading this article, I would like to share what the professionals who treated me have...
2 min read
Why are They Looking at Me?
< Psychology Being born with a cleft lip and palate means you’re born with a noticeable difference in the structural makeup of your face....
3 min read
Who's that in the Mirror?
< Psychology Whilst being a cleft lip and palate patient has many internal challenges, a large part of being born with a cleft is that...
4 min read
The Truth Behind the Clichés
Throughout my treatment, there were so many 'encouraging' sayings that they now seem clichéd to me. Ultimately, when you’re having a bad...
2 min read
Summer Jaw Surgery
Internal self-image is the biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome. I thought my prayers would be answered by having jaw surgery, which is...
6 min read
How Do I Cope?
Coping with a cleft can be difficult. Every stage presents new challenges to overcome and new procedures to understand. Here are a few...
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