About this episode

Delaney Yard shares her journey of growing up with a cleft palate, discussing the challenges and triumphs of finding her voice and advocating for others.

What is it like to grow up with a cleft palate and learn to find your voice in a world that often feels intimidating? In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, Laura sits down with Delaney, a professional in the medical device industry who was born with a cleft palate, to discuss her personal journey through surgeries, speech therapy, self-confidence challenges, and ultimately finding the courage to speak up and advocate for others. Delaney shares what it was like for her family to receive a surprise cleft diagnosis at birth, her early memories of hospital stays and surgeries, and how years of speech therapy helped shape her communication skills. She opens up about childhood insecurities, navigating bullying, and the lasting impact cleft can have on confidence and self-expression. Together, Laura and Delaney explore the unique perspective of being born with a cleft palate, the importance of advocacy, and why encouraging children to use their voice can be one of the greatest gifts parents can give. Delaney also offers heartfelt reassurance to parents who may be facing a new cleft diagnosis, reminding them that their child can live a happy, vibrant, and fulfilling life. Whether you're…

People in this episode

Host: Laura Arroyo

Guest: Delaney Yard

Topics covered

• cleft palate
• advocacy
• self-confidence
• speech therapy
• childhood insecurities
• parenting

Keywords

• cleft palate
• speech therapy
• self-advocacy
• childhood bullying
• parenting advice
• medical journey
• confidence building

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: medical device industry, FB Support Group

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• The 100 Cleft Portrait Tour: Building Community Through Storytelling · June 30, 2026 · 32 min
• From Cleft Provider to Cleft Mom: Dr. Jordan Virden's Story · June 23, 2026 · 43 min
• Why Are Babies Born with Clefts? Genetic Counselor, Robin Imagire Answers · June 16, 2026 · 54 min
• Building Community Through Cleft Motherhood: A Greek Mom's Cleft Journey · June 9, 2026 · 1h 1m

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