The Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Division of Pediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery recently hosted patients with cleft lip and palate, along with their families, to meet others with the same craniofacial condition in the Houston area. The cleft community is a close-knit group and many of the patients and family members were meeting for the first time or reconnecting. Chris Myers, former Houston Texan and father to a young boy with cleft, was in attendance with his family. The event included games, face painting and a special early visit from Santa Claus.
“We can only hope to see this event grow in the future,” said Matthew Greives, MD, craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgeon affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. “Clefts are among the most common birth defects and can affect one in 1,000 newborns. It’s truly heartwarming and important that patients and their families form such strong bonds with one another in order to get helpful information and emotional support from those who understand their situation.”