Love Meets Joy

In this special episode, we introduce you to Isaac Ballou and Michael Barbour, Iva and Ashley’s brothers. They share their personal stories, offering a look into what it’s like to grow up alongside a cleft-affected sibling. From early childhood memories to their roles in their sisters' lives today, these men’s insightful stories of the strength and love that can define this journey are a must-list...

Hosts Ashley Barbour and Iva Ballou sit down with Dr. Leanne Magee, a pediatric psychologist from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia who specializes in working with children with appearance differences, for a thoughtful discussion on the critical intersection of mental health and cleft care. We explore Dr. Magee’s unique role on the cleft care team, strategies for addressing bullying, and the imp...

In this episode, we bring you the inspiring stories of painter Monica Bachue and TikTok star and RN Jackson Wright, two cleft-affected individuals who are channeling their personal experiences into art that makes a difference.  Mentioned: Leporinos Foundation Follow Monica and Leporinos on IG at   @monicabachue and @leporinos   Follow Jackson at @printfairy and @dakotawright  ...

Iva and Ashley sit down with Canadian actor, writer, and producer Allisha Pelletier for a heartfelt conversation celebrating resilience, creativity, and the joy of embracing your own unique journey. Allisha shares what it was like to grow up with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, discover her passion for acting, and navigate the challenges of being in a beauty-focused industry. We also dive into h...

Iva and Ashley welcome Luci Capo-Rome, a retired nurse practitioner, author, and advocate for older adults with craniofacial differences for an insightful, powerful discussion on overcoming challenges, finding strength in community, and advocating for lasting change. Luci shares her journey to accepting her bilateral cleft lip and palate, her career as both a patient and a healthcare provider, and...

Join hosts Iva Ballou and Ashley Barbour for Season 2 of Love Meets Joy! This season, Iva and Ashley share the mic with fellow cleft community members. Hear from a diverse group, including a TikTok influencer, a child psychologist, a tap-dancing lobbyist, a fashion designer, and even their brothers. With such a wide range of perspectives, this is a season you won’t want to miss!

In this highlight, Ashley and Iva introduce listeners to a completely different perspective of their cleft journeys – their mothers’. 

In this highlight, Ashley and Iva introduce listeners to a completely different perspective of their cleft journeys – their mothers’. 

In this highlight, Ashley and Iva discuss their experiences with bullying and share advice for others who may be dealing with it.

Having a facial difference can complicate how individuals relate to conventional beauty standards. For cleft-affected women, it can be an especially fraught topic. In this highlight, Ashley and Iva discuss their own, ever-evolving journeys around makeup, scars and body image.

As members of the cleft community know firsthand, having a facial difference can introduce a completely new dimension to dating. In this highlight, Ashley and Iva discuss how their clefts have affected their romantic relationships, their approach to online dating, and the universal theme of searching for love.

While all members of the cleft lip and palate community have some shared experiences, everyone’s journey is unique. In this highlight, Ashley and Iva dive into their personal cleft experiences. Among other topics, they discuss their surgeries, cleft teams and cleft-related eating challenges. 

In this highlight, from the very first episode of Love Meets Joy, Iva and Ashley share how they began their cleft advocacy journeys.

Welcome to the Love Meets Joy podcast! In this first episode, hosts Iva Ballou and Ashley Barbour share their personal stories, their connections to cleft lip and palate, how they started their cleft advocacy journeys, and the goal of this new series. 

While all members of the cleft lip and palate community have some shared experiences, each individual’s journey is unique. In this episode, Ashley and Iva dive into their personal cleft experiences. Among other topics, they discuss their surgeries, cleft-related eating challenges, social and emotional difficulties, and their paths to self-acceptance.  

As members of the cleft community know firsthand, having a facial difference can introduce a completely new dimension to dating. Join Ashley and Iva as they discuss how their clefts have affected their romantic relationships and their approach to online dating, and the universal theme of searching for love and acceptance.  

Having a facial difference can complicate how individuals relate to conventional beauty standards. For cleft-affected women in particular, it can be an especially fraught topic. In this episode, Ashley and Iva discuss their own, ever-evolving journeys around makeup and scars, body image, cosmetic cleft-related procedures, and more. 

Language is powerful and the words we choose to describe ourselves or others often contribute to the construction of our own internal narratives. While the terms used to describe clefts and other facial differences have evolved over time, there is still a lack of consensus among community members about which words are preferred and why. In addition to sharing their own thoughts about the “language...

In this special, two-part episode, Ashley and Iva introduce listeners to a completely different perspective of their cleft journeys – their mothers’. When did they find out their daughter would have a cleft? What was the most challenging part of the cleft journey for them? Is there anything they wish they’d known at the beginning? Did they grapple with any guilt? Joined by their daughters, Ja...

In this special, two-part episode, Ashley and Iva introduce listeners to a completely different perspective of their cleft journeys – their mothers’. When did they find out their daughter would have a cleft? What was the most challenging part of the cleft journey for them? Is there anything they wish they’d known at the beginning? Did they grapple with any guilt? Joined by their daughters, Ja...

From the Joker to the Phantom of the Opera, from Scar to Alphonso from The Umbrella Academy , there are numerous examples of facial scarring or differences being used to identify the villain in media and to emphasize their evil. How do we change this stereotype and bring about industry-wide change to ensure facial differences are represented across all characters? In this episode, Ashley and Iva a...

Introducing Love Meets Joy a Smile Train sponsored podcast hosted by cleft advocates Iva Ballou and Ashley Barbour. In this special series, Ashley and Iva discuss their personal journeys and all things cleft lip and palate. From dating and relationships to bullying and the power of words, nothing is off-limits in this honest and empowering series. The first episode launches on Friday, July 28th an...