Established in 2018, The Laurie Vessey Fund for Cleft Lip and Palate was started as a dedication to Laurie Vessey who spent over 25 years serving her community and making the lives of families affected by clefts a little easier. Three moms who each have a child with a cleft who were patients of Laurie, came together and decided to honor Laurie and her years of service by creating a fund that would help future families in financial need with their cleft journey. The result being the Laurie Vessey Fund for Cleft Lip and Palate.

Families find out about their child’s cleft at a routine anatomy scan, or at birth. Either way the news comes as a devastating shock. The journey for a cleft affected child includes many medical, social, and emotional hurdles that are impactful far beyond initial surgeries. For the families, that also includes many financial hardships, including medical and dental bills, travel expenses, food/speech therapies, among others. Laurie Vessey provided support in any way she could to make challenging times less strenuous. The Laurie Vessey Fund for Cleft Lip & Palate is paying it forward and helping the cleft community that Laurie cared for so beautifully.