My name is Jemma, and in 2016 my family was blessed with a wee boy who had a cleft lip & palate. His sister joined him in 2017, and she also was born with a cleft lip & palate. After her birth, I decided I was going to work with Cleft New Zealand Inc -a registered charity dedicated to supporting individuals and their families on their cleft journeys.

This September, myself and some of my family will be walking for Cleft NZ in the 10km race at the Dunedin Marathon. We are ready to walk with a ~smile~ for a charity designed to support the special little people in our lives!

The cause is one that is obviously very near and dear to my heart. With our charity work, we want to raise awareness for the 1/700 children who are born with some form of cleft; and educate the public about what that means. Through education and awareness we can make the world a more accepting place of what makes us different.

As part of the board of Cleft NZ, I am busy putting together "welcome packs" to go out to new babies born with a cleft in our country. One of the most integral parts of this pack is a teddy bear, custom made to match each child and their cleft type - from cleft palate only through to bilateral cleft lip, and everything in between. Every child deserves to have a teddy that "looks like them" - and this is where you come in!

We are fundraising to help us put together the first batch of welcome packs. Any money you generously give will help us fund shipping costs, order the bears, stitch on their custom scars, and package it all up.