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Virginia Smiles Programs |
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Virginia Smiles Arm Restraint Lending Closet |
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Infants who are experiencing cleft repair surgeries are sometimes required by their craniofacial team's surgeon to wear a type of arm restraints, also known as "snuggle wraps" or "no-no's."
These arm restraints keep the child's arms from bending at the elbow so that they cannot play with the surgical area and perhaps ruin the tender and careful work of the surgeon. Sometimes, these arm restraints fall off or are uncomfortable for the baby.
A very creative and talented mom within the Virginia Smiles community has designed comfortable snuggle wraps that are comfortable for the baby, can go through the washer and the dryer, and actually stay on!! Virginia Smiles has several of these arm restraints to loan to Virginia families of newborns who are recovering from cleft repair surgery. If you would like to borrow a pair of these arm restraints, please submit an inquiry to info@virginia-smiles.org. If you would like the pattern in MS PowerPointŪ format to make your own pair of arm restraints, please click here. The pattern and arm restraints are free to borrow for any Virginia family, but donations to Virginia Smiles are gladly welcome.
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Virginia Smiles College Scholarship |
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Virginia Smiles will award a $1,000 scholarship to a student who meets the following criteria:
- The student must be a resident of Virginia and born with a cleft;
- The student must be registered to attend an accredited post-secondary educational institution;
- The student must submit a completed application form. To print the application form, CLICK HERE.
- The student must submit a 500 word essay explaining why he/she deserves to be awarded the scholarship.
- The student must attend the Virginia Smiles Annual Family Picnic to receive the award, prepare a short acceptance speech, and talk with other families of children born with a cleft.
The deadline for submission is May 31.
Previous Virginia Smiles Scholarship Recipients:
2008: Kyle Speers, Eastern Mennonite University
2007: Maria Summers, Randolph Macon College
2006: Steven Richard Day, Virginia Polytech Institute
2005: Katie Higgins, Blue Ridge Community College Transfer Program
To support VS Scholarship please make a donation.
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Virginia Smiles Newsletter |
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The Virginia Smiles Newsletter disseminates information that is relevant to those affected by a cleft lip/cleft palate, and to providers and families who care for those born with a cleft. More than 700 families and professionals in Virginia receive this newsletter. To view an index of past issues, click here. To subscribe to receive future issues of the newsletter, click here.
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Virginia Smiles Outreach Seminars |
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A one-hour seminar to medical professionals who care for individuals born with a cleft lip and/or a cleft palate. The program includes a 45-minute discussion on general information about cleft lip and palate, feeding instruments available for newborns, contact information about the different craniofacial teams in our area, challenges parents face, and how providers can better serve their patients. The presentation concludes with a viewing of "A Beautiful Child."
Virginia Smiles has presented to several groups, including The Infant/Toddler Connection (Early Intervention Services) of Fairfax County, Inova Health Source, Andrews Air Force Base physicians, Reston Hospital Labor and Delivery Nursing Staff, Virginia Hospital Center Labor and Delivery Staff, and the Fairfax County Higher Horizons Head Start Program.
To request a Virginia Smiles seminar or learn more about this fantastic educational opportunity, click here.
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Virginia Smiles Video: "A Beautiful Child-Welcoming a Baby with a Cleft Lip and Palate" |
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Virginia Smiles has developed a video, produced by Blueberry Shoes Productions. The video is presented as a message of hope and encouragement, and an introduction for parents who have just learned that their child has a cleft.
"A Beautiful Child" includes interviews of parents who discuss their experiences of first learning about and raising an infant born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate, and includes the perspective of an adult who was born with a cleft lip.
In honest and heartfelt terms, parents of four children talk about the shock of learning about their child's cleft, the concerns and misconceptions they had, and the practicalities of caring for the special needs of their new baby. With good humor and openness, the parents describe how their perspective, understanding, and outlook changed as a result of caring for a child born with a cleft.
The 25-minute video includes many photos of the children before and after their surgeries, and features children from four different craniofacial teams of care in Virginia. The video is divided into the following five chapters:
· Finding Out
· Concerns and Misconceptions
· A New Baby
· Early Surgeries
· A New Perspective
To purchase a video for $25 (all proceeds go toward Virginia Smiles and its programs), click on the "add to cart" button below.
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Parent Supports |
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The Virginia Smiles will match a new parent (or parent-to-be) with another parent in the same geographic neighborhood who has been through similar issues and experiences and is part of the new parent's same cranio team. The buddy parent can be involved as they would like to be, helping in any way, perhaps by providing information, resources, emotional support, telephone support, a meal for the family, and/or home visits with the new parent. Buddies of Virginia Smiles are required to participate in the Pathfinder Training provided by www.Ameriface.org, and become registered Pathfinders. If you would like to be a Virginia Smiles "Buddy," or if you would like to have a Virginia Smiles "Buddy," please contact the Ameriface Pathfinder Program at www.Ameriface.org, or submit an inquiry to info@virginia-smiles.org.
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Events |
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Virginia Smiles hosts a variety of events throughout the year to encourage families of children born with a cleft lip/cleft palate to come together to share pictures, stories, and their experiences of caring for their child. Members of the medical community are invited to attend and are available to talk with parents in a fun, relaxed environment. Adults who were born with a cleft lip/cleft palate are also invited to attend to share their experiences and provide encouragement and support to the children. Virginia Smiles events include playgroups, a summer family picnic, and a holiday party.
For more information about Virginia Smiles events, please click here.
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© 2006-2009 Virginia Smiles, Inc. All rights reserved. | |
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