Having a Child with a Cleft Lip and Palate

My youngest son Preston was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, which is not a life threating birth defect, and requires a tremendous amount medical care. This has not affected him as far as normal kid stuff goes, yet. He will require a tremendous amount of corrective surgery through the years.

We live in Southern Coastal Georgia and find it necessary to use medical facilities in Jacksonville, Florida for his care because the care in Georgia for cleft lip and palate children is centered in Atlanta and Augusta. However, it does look like that Florida Legislature is taking steps to cut funding for the University of Florida Cleft Palate Team and cut out this program for children all over the southeastern United States.

While I am not a resident of Florida this is a tremendous blow to not only us in Southern Georgia but to the Children in Florida that are affected by this. Children are our future and hopefully the Florida Lawmakers realize that if it were not for these types of programs many children will be affected more than they are already.