Episode 3: More Than One Surgery

January 26th, 2026

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Episode 3 of Cleft Conversations. I’m Julia Lee, and I'm the President of Youth for Global Smiles.

Hi, I’m Astley Ng, and I do PR.

Could you briefly introduce yourself and your background?

Hi, my name is Olivia Lee, and I’m a middle schooler from Howard County, Maryland. I was born with a cleft lip and palate, and today I want to talk about what most people don’t realize. A common misconception I’ve heard is that you're all set after one surgery, and everything is fixed. This might be true to some, but for most cleft patients, including me, that’s not true. Cleft care is a long journey that will continue as I grow. Even now, I still take orthopedic steps as part of my cleft care. That means working with doctors to ensure my jaw and teeth are developing as they should. This is to make sure that my eating, speaking, and overall health are normal. As I grow, my face and jaw keep changing, so I would still need check-ups and surgeries. Many cleft patients often have to keep coming back for treatment over many years. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming because it feels like the process is endless. However, these treatments that I’m doing right now will benefit my future by a landslide. I wanted to share my story because I think it’s important for people to understand that cleft care continues even after one surgery. It not only takes time, but it takes support and access to continued treatment in the future. None of the cleft journeys will look identical, but for many of us like me, it’s not just one surgery that will fix it all; it's a long-term process and takes a lot of time.

How has your perspective on cleft care changed as you’ve gotten older?

When I was younger, I didn't know why I had to do these surgeries and braces. As I've gotten older,  I've realized that these surgeries and treatments help me eat, speak, and grow normally.  

What surprised you the most about your own cleft journey?

I was surprised by how common cleft lip and palate are. I thought it was pretty rare, but I found out through this club that 1 in 700 kids are cleft-affected.

Why do you think it’s important to talk about cleft care beyond just surgery?

I think it’s important to talk about cleft care beyond just surgery because surgery is just one part of cleft care for a lot of people. There are usually orthopedic treatments along with other treatments. A really common myth is that it just ends after 1 surgery, so I want to make sure that everyone knows the truth.

What are you hopeful about for the future of cleft care?

I hope that kids can receive their cleft care without worrying about the cost or improvement, since cleft care can be expensive for a lot of families. I also hope that people will be more understanding and supportive of cleft-affected kids.