Kerri Griffin is currently reading Cleft Heart: Chasing Normal. She beat out 542 other Goodreads enthusiasts who wanted a crack at the book. She's an avid reader with plenty of Goodreads friends. I am so grateful that young readers have shown such an interest in Cleft Heart. Am happy also that readers from Australia and Great Britain are just as interested in the book as those from the US and Canada. Cleft Heart is "A poignant, heartfelt tale of endurance and hope… … [Read more...]
Confronting Appearance Issues
An Interesting Program confronting Appearance Issues In a recent report, Euronews visited the Bristol Science Centre and spoke with Nicole Paraskeva from the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England. She talked about an interactive experiment her team has developed that challenges appearance stereotypes. The experiment asks users to match images of people to possible jobs and activities just by looking at their faces, a task which draws attention … [Read more...]
Does Appearance Matter? Who are You Looking at?
Does our appearance determine our life chances? A young woman who was born with a visible difference tells you what it's like in the above video, entitled "The Visible Difference." Born with a cleft lip and palate, Alexandria Barker is a psychology student in Britain. Corrective surgeries and a loving family have made her “visible difference” no longer a problem for her, but she knows that not all are as lucky as her. Many people with a visible difference have trouble in the work … [Read more...]
Politicians and Columnists concerned that Abortions of Fetuses with Clefts Constitute “Eugenics.”
Late-term abortions of fetuses with clefts Some Members of Parliament in the UK have called for a review of abortion laws since recent data show many more mothers than realized ask that their cleft fetuses be aborted. According to a committee of MPs and peers, evidence suggests "many pregnancies are being terminated up until full term simply because of cosmetic flaws." Mothers and doctors are engaging in "discrimination" according to some. I'd second this: sounds like "facial … [Read more...]
My readers also read these Cleft Lip and Palate books.
According to Amazon, people purchasing Cleft Heart often look at these books. First Place - A story book helping kids to … Kate Gaynor 3.8 out of 5 stars (6) Paperback $8.99Prime Special Smiles Dr. Sachin Shridharani 5.0 out of 5 stars (1) Paperback $13.35Prime A Special Smile Julie A. Graham 4.7 out of 5 stars (7) Paperback I Love You Now, I Loved You Then Kate Isles Paperback $12.09Prime It's Okay To Be … [Read more...]
“Gossip girl” Actress Michelle Trachtenberg fights Bullying
Seems as if no one is safe from bullying. Back in March 2011 actress Michelle Trachtenberg, a star in the late '90s TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, revealed she was “severely bullied” by school classmates. To put it mildly, she does not have fond memories of her school days in Brooklyn, N.Y.. This is a actress who, in between guest appearances on Gossip Girl, became the featured cover girl in Maxim How sweet it is showing people you've survived bullying "just … [Read more...]
Do Clefts meet the Definition of Special Needs Children?
People ask me all the time whether cleft lip and/or palate kids can be considered "Children with Special Needs?" I generally answer "Yes," but, of course, it depends on the severity of the birth defect and the surgical outcomes. As the diagram suggests, there are degrees of severity. Joaquin Phoenix claims his barely visible cleft is no big deal. Then again, there are cleft persons whose speech never gets past the "nasal" stage. By the way, Wiki agrees that clefts constitute "Special … [Read more...]