Our Forever Smiles with Laura Arroyo

In this heartwarming episode of  Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Hannah Scott, a writer and mother, to discuss her journey raising a daughter born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate. Hannah opens up about the challenges and triumphs of her family's experience, shedding light on the emotional and physical hurdles they've faced along the way. As a mother, Hannah shares the i...

In this heartfelt episode of Our Forever Smiles Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Barbour, known as Cleft Love on social media, a Smile Train Council Advisory Member, and co-host of the Love Meets Joy podcast. Born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, Ashley shares her personal journey of overcoming challenges and discovering her self-worth amidst adversity. She opens up about the emotional hurdl...

In this powerful episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Joanne Lythgoe Frank, a mother who has navigated the complexities of raising a child born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, along with Tessier 3 and 4. Joanne shares the emotional journey of living in Cyprus, where there was little understanding or support for people with facial differences. She opens up about he...

In this heartfelt episode of the Our Forever Smiles Podcast, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Sarah Norwood to discuss the emotional journey following her son's cleft lip diagnosis and recent repair. Sarah candidly shares her family's experiences navigating the challenges and triumphs of the cleft lip and palate journey. From initial fears to finding support, Sarah reflects on the coping strategie...

In this special solo episode, Laura Arroyo takes a moment to reflect on an incredible year of Our Forever Smiles Podcast. Laura starts off by thanking the community for their support and shares some exciting news about the future of the podcast. Merch is officially available for all Our Forever Smiles subscribers, giving you a chance to represent the community with exclusive items. Plus, Laura int...

Today's sponsor is sienna dawn media Integrated Marketing Agency   sienna dawn media is more than just a marketing agency—they are your  partners in progress . Their mission is simple — to alleviate marketing bandwidth , allowing creative business owners to focus on what they set out to do: create . sienna dawn media empowers creatives to thrive without the burden of managing their own social medi...

In this heartfelt episode of the Forever Smiles podcast, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Jimena Morua Marquez, a passionate advocate and mother whose journey took a transformative turn when her son, Mateo, was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Jimena candidly shares the emotional challenges she faced upon receiving Mateo's diagnosis, navigating her feelings of fear and uncertainty while...

In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Summer Kormushoff for an intimate conversation about the challenges and triumphs of being a first-time mom navigating a cleft lip diagnosis. Summer shares her emotional journey, starting from the moment she learned about her son's condition during a nuchal transparency scan. She opens up about the struggles of the NAM (Nasoalv...

CLEFT MAMAS! OUR MERCH STORE IS NOW LIVE!! WE HAVE OUR CLEFT MOMS CLUB TEE AND THE FAUX OUR FOREVER SMILES TOUR MERCH!! GET YOURS TODAY!! __________________________________________________________________________________ In this inspiring episode, we welcome Allie Ekblad, a talented children's book author, illustrator, and founder of Brave Face Kids. After the birth of her second child with a bila...

CLEFT MAMAS! OUR MERCH STORE IS NOW LIVE!! WE HAVE OUR CLEFT MOMS CLUB TEE AND THE FAUX OUR FOREVER SMILES TOUR MERCH!! GET YOURS TODAY!! __________________________________________________________________________________ Today's sponsor is sienna dawn media Integrated Marketing Agency   sienna dawn media is more than just a marketing agency—they are your  partners in progress . Their mission is si...

CLEFT MAMAS! OUR MERCH STORE IS NOW LIVE!! WE HAVE OUR CLEFT MOMS CLUB TEE AND THE FAUX OUR FOREVER SMILES TOUR MERCH!! GET YOURS TODAY!! In this heartfelt episode of the Our Forever Smiles podcast, host Laura Arroyo welcomes Monica Bush, a dedicated advocate and mother from Kokomo, Indiana. Monica is the founder of Legendary Smiles, a non-profit organization born from her deep appreciation for th...

In this heartfelt episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Anne Giocondini-Rodriguez, a fellow mother whose son was born with a cleft palate, just like Laura's daughter. Together, they share their unique journeys, diving into the emotional complexities of receiving the diagnosis at birth and the challenges that followed. Anne opens up about her unexpected C-section and the m...

In this episode of Our Forever Smiles , host Laura Arroyo sits down with certified lactation consultant and speech and language pathologist Kelly Columbus to discuss essential tips and tricks for successfully breast pumping for babies with cleft lip and palate. They explore the unique challenges these families face, the importance of breast milk, and practical strategies for establishing an effect...

Join host Laura Arroyo in this heartfelt episode of Forever Smiles as she speaks with Dana Audain, a passionate advocate and mother to Lexi, a remarkable girl with a Tessier 7 cleft condition. Dana explains what a Tessier 7 cleft is and shares the journey of discovering Lexi's diagnosis, along with the emotional challenges their family has faced. With love and resilience, she describes Lexi as her...

In this powerful episode of "Our Forever Smiles," host Laura Arroyo chats with the remarkable Toni Elizabeth Wilkerson, a cleft-affected adult and dedicated advocate. Together, they delve into Toni's journey through the myriad of surgeries she has faced and the resilience she's cultivated along the way. Toni shares heartfelt insights on how her mother played a pivotal role in building her confiden...

In this heartfelt episode of Our Forever Smiles, we sit down with Scott Cramton, a remarkable entreprenuer who has overcome significant challenges to achieve extraordinary success. Born with a cleft palate, Scott faced numerous obstacles growing up, including difficulties with speech. Yet, with unwavering determination and a positive spirit, he found his voice and built a life filled with purpose...

In this poignant episode of Our Forever Smiles , host Laura Arroyo sits down with Ashley Grimes to discuss a deeply personal and challenging chapter of her life. Ashley opens up about the emotional journey of learning about her son Everett's cleft lip and palate diagnosis while her husband was serving in Iraq. As a mother of three, Ashley reflects on the shock and difficulty of navigating surgerie...

In this episode of Our Forever Smiles, host Laura Arroyo sits down with Jennifer Stelmakh, the visionary behind the innovative Cozeecoo device. Jennifer shares the inspiring journey behind creating the Cozeecoo, a revolutionary tool that can be used to aid recovery after cleft lip and palate surgeries. Discover how the Cozeecoo has become synonymous with care and healing, and learn about the chall...

CLEFT MAMAS! OUR MERCH STORE IS NOW LIVE!! WE HAVE OUR CLEFT MOMS CLUB TEE AND THE FAUX OUR FOREVER SMILES TOUR MERCH!! GET YOURS TODAY!! __________________________________________________________________________________ Join us for an enlightening episode as we delve into the unique insights of Ashlyn Crockett, a passionate advocate and parent navigating the intersections of 18q Deletion Syndrome...

Join host Laura Arroyo on this heartfelt episode of Our Forever Smiles , where she sits down with Cecilia Bonnevie, a remarkable advocate and mother who has navigated the complexities of living with cleft lip firsthand. Cecilia not only shares her own journey of resilience and acceptance but also opens up about the profound experience of raising a son born with a cleft lip. In this deeply personal...

CLEFT MAMAS! OUR MERCH STORE IS NOW LIVE!! WE HAVE OUR CLEFT MOMS CLUB TEE AND THE FAUX OUR FOREVER SMILES TOUR MERCH!! GET YOURS TODAY!! __________________________________________________________________________________ Curious about cleft lip and palate? You're not alone! This episode dives deep into 20 frequently asked questions, providing clear and concise information for anyone who wants to l...

In this special episode, Laura is joined by Kelly Columbus, a dedicated Speech Language Pathologist and Certified Lactation Consultant. Kelly brings a unique perspective, having not only professionally supported countless families but also personally applied her expertise to her own child who underwent cleft lip and palate repair. Together, Laura and Kelly delve into Kelly's insights and expertise...

Welcome to another heartwarming episode of the Our Forever Smiles Podcast! In this special edition, host Laura Arroyo, mother of a daughter born with a surprise cleft palate, sits down with her friend Gina Kocher—known on Instagram as @thecelebratingmama and mother of a daughter with bilateral cleft lip and palate. Together, they dive into a comprehensive Q&A session designed for fellow parents na...

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with former journalist and author Gloria Madera to explore her journey from sharing impactful stories to finding her voice as a mother of a child with a cleft lip and palate. Gloria opens up about the challenges she faced as a first-time mom navigating the world of cleft care, and how she transformed her experiences into a powerful tool for other parents. Glo...

In this emotionally charged episode of "Our Forever Smiles," host Laura Arroyo sits down with Elizabeth Houlihan, a remarkable social media influencer and passionate advocate for cleft lip and palate awareness. Elizabeth opens up about her journey through the depths of postpartum anxiety following the birth of her son, who was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate. Elizabeth candidly shares...