Peyton Manning's experience with a Cleft Palate. Peyton Manning was born with a cleft palate on March 24, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Today, he's an outstanding NFL (National Football League) quarterback for the Denver, Broncos. He is a son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and an elder brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Peyton faced many obstacles with his disabilty: a cleft palate is a condition in which the two plates of the skull that form the … [Read more...]
The Complicated Causation of Cleft Lips and Palates — Genetics is only part of the still-unknown equation.
Here I am back in November with Noah, my superhero friend with a cleft lip and palate. Recently, I came across another great picture of him , as a shy ladies man. Well, really Noah is with his twin sister, and she has no clefts. This suggests the genetic complexity of clefts. . . and genetics is only one causal … [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...]
Deformity, Heroes, Repulsion, and Love
It may startle some, but people in a few countries still banish cleft lip and palate kids to back rooms due to beliefs, like those espoused in the Old Testament, that clefts have been touched by Satan and made imperfect and impure. Even in more recent times, great writers have promulgated backward beliefs regarding deformities. Shakespeare’s ruthless protagonist in Richard III, for example, convinced audiences for centuries that Satan had touched deformed people. A while ago I came across … [Read more...]
Incredible Athletes who’ve Overcome Birth Defects & Disabilities
Next time you want to veg out on that couch, think of the incredible athletes who've overcome birth defects (e.g., cerebral palsy, spina bifida, fibular hemimelia) and acquired disabilities (e.g.,cancer, war injuries, auto accidents). For info on a dozen or so disabled athletes--including Paralympic gold medalist Tatyanna McFadden and major league pitcher Jim Abbott, pictured here-- see … [Read more...]
If anyone you know has a broken heart, especially a child . . .
Congenital heart defects Each year 35,000 babies come into the world with congenital heart defects (CHD). The National Institutes of Health reports CHDs are responsible for more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defects. Over a million Americans alive today were born with heart defects. If immediate family members are counted, that means five million people have been affected by CHDs. Also, each year 1.3 million people suffer heart attacks. About 30 million Americans have … [Read more...]
Lance Armstrong, a Sociopath? Or a Psychopath on the order of O.J and maybe Oscar Pistorius?
Nothing new about a hero falling from grace and joining the ranks of the villainous or foolish. This site includes pictures of Babe Ruth, General Patton, and Charlie Chaplin who travelled this path in the eyes of many. The infractions of these three, besides a kind of un-American personal arrogance, included, respectively, abusing a wife, slapping a soldier, and engaging in controversial relationships and politics. What bothers many people about … [Read more...]