Chapter Spotlight: St. Paul's School
On October 1, 2016, the St. Paul’s HOSA Chapter participated in the Cleft for a Cause 5k Run/Walk. It was a morning of fun, food, music, and donations. HOSA Members were joined by other students from St. Paul’s.
Cleft for a Cause is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization that benefits the Cleft and Craniofacial Team of New Orleans. This highly skilled team provides reconstructive facial surgeries to children in the Gulf Coast Region that are born with cleft palates. This common birth defect occurs when the two halves of the upper lip and palate do not fully connect during prenatal development resulting in a hole in the top of the mouth that could lead to problems with breathing, eating and speech.
Cleft for a Cause is particularly special to the Hannan High School community because it was founded in 2014 by Isabella and Hannah Summersgill. Hannah is a recent ('16) alumnus of Hannan, and her sister Isabella is currently a junior, and was born with a cleft lip and palate. (From Hannan High School’s Website: https://www.hannanhigh.org/about/news-archive/story-details/~post/join-us-for-the-cleft-for-a-cause-fun-run-20160908)
Many families in the Gulf Coast area are bombarded with expenses due to a need of cleft-palate reconstructive surgeries. We are seeking to ease the load of affected families by providing funds for this cause.
Our mission is to raise funds to provide necessities for children in need of cleft-palate reconstructive surgeries. We will donate 100% of proceeds to the David Hoffman Memorial Fund, a foundation set up by the Cleft Team to provide funds for expenses for patients and families. These expenses may include cleft-palate reconstructive procedures, dental implants, money for gas, hotels, picnics (patients are given the opportunity to meet other children with cleft palates), teen lunches (lunches specifically for teen cleft palate patients), and other costs suggested by the Cleft Team. (From Cleft for a Cause Website: http://www.cleftforacause.org/about.html)
