Why are we running the Bristol Great Run Half Marathon for CLEFT?

• To raise public awareness of the children born with cleft lip and/or palate and the challenges and triumphs that children and their families face

• To raise money and support CLEFT in their mission to provide permanent, sustainable ways to improve cleft care in the UK and in lower-income countries overseas.

Why do we feel this is important?

As SLTs, we are acutely aware of the huge impact that a cleft can have on a child’s development, and on their family. Well-timed surgical and multi-disciplinary support can be beneficial, but not all children have access to this care.

CLEFT provides crucial funding for research projects within the UK that aim to improve our understanding of the cause of clefts and how we can improve treatment and therapy. This priority is shared BSLTRU, which also aims to improve the care and management of people with speech, language and communication disorders through research and development.

As well as supporting cleft care within the UK, CLEFT also supports medical teams and communities in lower-income countries, helping them to provide quality, sustainable treatment and care for people born with cleft.
Please help us to raise money for this vital cause. For many of us, this will be our first half-marathon and your support would be greatly appreciated.

Sam Burr