I’ve never run 10km before – or voluntarily run at all, really. But after joining CLEFT as a Trustee and seeing first‑hand the difference the charity makes to people born with cleft lip and palate, I wanted to do something tangible to support their work. So, here I am: a very reluctant runner, lacing up for fundraising.

CLEFT supports the kind of long‑term, specialist care that made a huge difference to my own life when I moved to the UK. That continuity of care – not just surgery, but speech and language therapy, psychology, orthodontics and research that improves lifelong outcomes – is what truly changes lives.

What makes CLEFT different?
CLEFT’s focus is on improving medical care for people with clefts by:
- In the UK: funding research that improves lifelong outcomes for people with cleft lip and palate.
- Internationally: supporting specialist training for local cleft teams in countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal.
Rather than flying in visiting experts to carry out short‑term surgical missions, CLEFT works in partnership with existing medical teams. The focus is on collaboration, skills‑sharing and strengthening multidisciplinary working in a way that fits local healthcare systems. The result is sustainable improvement in care that benefits patients for years to come.

Every donation helps fund care that lasts.

If you’re able to donate, you’ll be supporting an incredible charity – and helping motivate this very reluctant runner to make it to the finish line.

Thank you so much for your support.
Weronika Holt