It is estimated that every three minutes a child is born with a cleft. I have learned of the physical and emotional effects of a cleft lip and palate diagnosis from partnering with the San Jorge Children's Foundation for the past few years. It's important to increase awareness surrounding the complexities of cleft and what a diagnosis means for the child and their family.

Some clefts are visible, others are not, but the diagnosis when your child is born can be shocking and scary, and the road to normality very long. Particularly because complete care is more than just a surgical procedure and continues as the patient grows.

Most cleft children undergo reconstructive surgery before their first birthday, and some require more procedures as they get older. Cleft patients typically need other types of treatments, as well, including dental care, speech therapy, and psychological care. In addition, some children may require specific products before or after surgery like special feeding bottles and arm immobilizers.

These children, who undergo extensive surgeries and treatments, deserve the same quality of life as everyone else, which is why organizations like San Jorge Children's Foundation are so significant. To relieve parents of some financial burden and stress, the Foundation offers initial and follow-up evaluations to patients with cleft lip, cleft palate, or other craniofacial malformations who have limited economic resources. These evaluations include assessments from a plastic surgeon, generalist, dentist, speech therapist, otolaryngologist, maxillofacial surgeon, and an orthodontist. The Foundation also offers psychiatric services for patients, their parents, and their siblings. In 2018 alone, 281 cleft patients received support from the Foundation.

A 7-year-old named Diego and his family have been receiving financial support from San Jorge Children's Foundation since he was born. Diego was born with both a cleft lip and palate, which typically requires more surgeries and treatments than having just one of the two. Diego has received 4 surgeries since birth and will need at least 2 more. These surgeries, as well as speech therapy sessions and advanced dental care, have all been provided to Diego with the help of the Foundation. He is just one of the thousands of patients San Jorge Children's Foundation has given a better quality of life since their inception in 1995.

The Mark E. Curry Family Foundation has hosted an annual fundraising event in Puerto Rico to support local causes like San Jorge Children's Foundation for the past three years. Our event this year, Curry Carnaval, is on June 29th, 2019 at the El San Juan Hotel and will benefit the children at San Jorge who are underprivileged and born with congenital malformations or diagnosed with cancer. This is a worthy cause that I have spent time learning about over the past few years, and I hope that you will join us as we support San Jorge Children's Foundation and the local children they provide with the opportunity to receive the advanced medical treatment that they deserve.

You can donate to San Jorge Children's Foundation, purchase tickets for the event, or become a sponsor at www.clubcurry.com.

*Mark E. Curry is a leading entrepreneur, philanthropist and impact investor. Curry founded SOL Partners in Puerto Rico in 2012, and in January 2017 completed acquisition of NotiCel. As Chair of the Mark E. Curry Family Foundation, he invests in critical community charitable organizations.