Face It: Growing up with Cleft Lip and Palate can be tough, but we”re tougher!

The Cleft NZ Dare Kenny Tough Guy Challenge took place on Saturday 18 August in Rotorua – photos are now available at  or check out the video below!

What was it all about?

Growing up with Cleft Lip and Palate isn”t easy, sometimes it can feel like a bit of an obstacle course with many different hurdles along the way, but with a bit of encouragement, support and general toughness, we manage to complete an obstacle course that would break many people at the first hurdle (a lot like the big balls on wipeout).

Speaking of obstacle courses, that brings us to our latest fundraiser – the Dare Kenny Tough Guy challenge. Despite being the nice guy that he is, I think it is fair to say, he isn”t exactly the toughest person to ever grace this planet physically, so what better way to take advantage of his good-will by challenging him (dragg

ing him kicking and screaming) to do the Tough Guy obstacle course to raise funds to develop a new Outward Bound programme for Cleft New Zealand.

What does the Tough Guy challenge involve?

The Tough Guy & Gal Challenge is a 6km physical assault course in Rotorua. The course includes water trails, net climb, crawl under barb wire obstacles, swamp crossings, Genie?en Sie die stellaren Casino-Attraktionen in Ihren Online-Glucks online casino spiele portal #1 – 777. native bush trail, wobbly water bridge, open paddock running, hurdles, wire rope bridge plus what the event organisers have described only as “a new surprise”. Kenny didn”t have to do the course alone though, he was joined by Cleft NZ”s Auckland Co-ordinator Louise, and a whole team of supporters. Meet the rest of the Tough Guy Challenge team here.

When was it?

Saturday 18th August 2012 at Hell”s Gate, Rotorua.

So, what exactly are you raising money for?

As we said, growing up with cleft lip and/or palate is tough, but we”re tougher and go on to achieve great things and not let anything hold us back. Outward Bound  is an amazing character-building endurance course, designed to push people to the limits and unleash their inner tough guy/girl. We would love to be able to provide this life-changing experience to members of our cleft community in New Zealand who are ready for a new challenge, and so we are fundraising with the vision to providing this unique opportunity in the future. More info on Outward Bound is available here.

The Annual General Meeting of Cleft NZ Inc. will be held on Monday 28th May at 7.30pm, at St Matthew in the City, Cnr Hobson and Wellesley Streets, Auckland City.

Our main speaker for the evening will be Peter Fowler, Orthodontist from Christchurch. Peter is actively involved in a project to collect and examine data from Cleft Units around New Zealand, working towards establishing criteria for best practice in all aspects of Cleft Management in NZ.

Peter”s talk will be of interest to all Cleft paren

ts, families and supporters. Please take this opportunity to hear about important work being carried out for the benefit of everyone with a Cleft!

Kenny Ardouin will also update us on his work as South Island Co-ordinator, and a brief review of his recent successful road show.

Light refreshments will be served after the meeting. Parking is available off Hobson Street on the forecourt in front of, and alongside the church.

Please RSVP to for catering and seating purposes.

Put this one in your diary, calendar, blackberry, iThing or personal assistant:

The next Auckland Coffee Group:

Ever wanted to meet some other adults affected by Cleft Lip and Palate and share your story?

Well this is your chance. One of our members is organising a dinner on Saturday 12th May in Ponsonby, Auckland.

Anybody is welcome to attend, particularly those cleft adults who want to meet other cleft adults and share their stories (because let”s Face It – we all have a story to tell!) Parents of cleft children are also very welcome to attend this event! Oh and feel free to bring partners and fr

iends along – the more the merrier!

What? Where? When?

Date: Saturday 12th May
Time: 7pm
Location: Ponsonby Bistro 222
Address: 222 Ponsonby Road
Ponsonby, Auckland 1011

Check out the venue and menu at www.bistro222.co.nz

If you would like to go, please RSVP by Wednesday 9 May to Laura Ash by emailing

What others had to say about the 2012 roadshow

Got some feedback about the roadshow? Email

“Hi Kenny, I attended the bullying talk yesterday in Christchurch. Congratulations on a great seminar! I was very impressed with the Cleft Roadshow and wish you all the best for your trip. Well done!” – Kate

“Huge congrats to Kenny and everyone else involved in the Roadshow! Wellington pulled out a stunning day! Kenny your passion and committment to the organisation and the cause is astounding! Keep up the great work!” – Jen

“Thanks for today…my wife & I appreciate the support & time given to this venture. A great initiative. It”s also great to have the “Face it” logo & what it means out there in the public domain for cleft awareness. Well done team & it was a pleasure to meet Kenny too.” – Marcus

“Awesome to meet you today, Riley & Adrienne ”

“Was great meeting you thanks for an awesome event. You are a credit to the cleft community kenny.” – Jessica

“Just been and visited the roadshow in Napier and wanted to say what a fantastic idea and well done to Kenny and everyone else who was involved in organising it and making it happen. Well done Cleft NZ ” – Joanne

“Thanks so much for today Kenny. You”re doing a remarkable job. For those of you further north, please make the effort to see Kenny, you”ll definitely get so much out of it. Thank you Kenny for educating people so that clefts really are just a normal part of our society, which in turn is going to help my Liv and everyone else in this group. And also Kenny, thought you”d find it funny that Liv was still

going on and on before bed that you”re both special since you”re clefties and lefties!!!!” – Sophie

“ Was very cool seeing the truck in Hamilton and meeting you Kenny. Thanks so much for organising the event, legend!!!!!” – Anita

“It was great meeting you, and you are doing a great job. Still trying to get B to sign up to the youth page lolz I will keep bugging him heehee” – Rachel

“Thanks kenny it was great to meet you and awesome what you are doing for our cleft kids Find out if VIAGRA is right for you. around the country!!!!!! Have fun in Auckland!!!” – Anita

“The rain didn”t get in the way and the guys did a great job, great information, and mostly just nice to meet with you on your country tour on behalf of us – great job!! well done!” – Lorraine

“Great to meet you ever so briefly today Kenny. Hoping to catch up again before you head back south. ” – Kylie

“Kenny, it was a pleasure to spend the day with you on Saturday – and to meet new families and see older families again. Looking forward to helping with the next one!” – Louise

“Great to catch up with you Kenny and what an awesome effort you put into the road show. I think my 7 year old cleft kid summed it up on the way home – “Kenny was really nice to do that eh mum?” – Barbara

“It was a pleasure to meet you on Saturday. Thank you for taking the time to meet & connect with all the cleft kids. Tom doesn”t say much, but I know he got a lift from meeting you – a boy who looks like him. It was a relief, if that makes sense? We hope there will be more road shows. If so, Tom and our family would love to be involved x” – Kate and Tom

“Thanks for the feedback and well done.  it was great for the patients, community and our service.  your time and effort is much appreciated.” – Megan, CMDHB

“I went on Saturday to Cornwall Park and met Kenny and some other lovely people.  I filled in a membership form and they gave me the blue book… great to go along and meet them and have a bit of a chat.” – Jan

The 2012 Cleft NZ Roadshow has now finished.

Huge thanks to everyone who came down, said hi and showed their support during the 2012 roadshow, it was fantastic to meet you all.

To view our photo gallery of the photos from the Cleft NZ Roadshow, please check us out on Facebook at

To view or listen to media articles surrounding the roadshow, please click here: https://faceit.org.nz/2012-roadshow-media-articles/

To see what others had to say about the roadshow, please click here: https://faceit.org.nz/testimonies-from-the-2012-roadshow/

2012 Roadshow Video

Here”s where we went

Monday 02 April: Christchurch 11am – 6pm (Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Car Park off Armagh St, Christchurch City Centre)

Wednesday 04 April: Nelson 9am – 5pm (Rutherford Park, Nelson City Centre)

Thursday 05 April: Picton 8am – 12pm (Lower High Street, Picton Town Centre)

Friday 06 April: Wellington 10am – 6pm (Te Papa Promenade on the Waterfront, access off Taranaki Street, Wellington City Centre)

Saturday 07 April: Palmerston North 12pm – 6pm (The Square, by the i-Site, Palmerston North Town Centre)

Monday 09 April: Napier 9am – 5:30pm (Paved area between Marine Parade and Herschell St by the statue opposite the Masonic Hotel)

Tuesday 10 April: Taupo 12pm – 5pm (Ferry Road Carpark, on the waterfront opposite Taupo Domain, Taupo Town Centre)

Wednesday 11 April: Tauranga 11am – 6pm (Bayfair Shopping Centre Carpark, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga)

Thursday 12 April: Hamilton 10am – 5pm (Hamilton Garden

s, Cobham Drive, Lake/Lawn area by Carpark 1)

Friday 13 April: Manukau 10am – 6pm (Manukau Super Clinic, Conference Centre Room 3, 901 Great South Road)

Saturday 14 April: Auckland Central 9am – 5:30pm (Cornwall Park, Manukau Road, Lower Main Car Park – we”ll have orange balloons on the van so you can find us!)

Sunday 15 April: West Auckland 10am – 5pm (Trusts Stadium, Central Park Drive, Henderson, Auckland)

View in a larger map

Cleft NZ would like to thank the following organisations for their support with the Cleft NZ Roadshow

Paragon Design

Kale Printing, Tauranga

Madhu and the team at BP Greenlane, Auckland

McDonald”s Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch

Youthline Auckland

Christchurch City Council

Nelson City Council

Marlborough District Council

New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA)

Wellington City Council

Destination Manawatu

Napier City Council

Great Lake Taupo District Council

Bayfair Shopping Centre

Hamilton Gardens

Counties Manukau District Health Board

Cornwall Park

Trusts Stadium

This was just one of many exciting new initiatives that Cleft New Zealand is implementing. Watch this space for more cool stuff coming your way!

The Parent & Family Resource Centre are running a series of Individualised Funding seminars in March at the locations/times below and attached. Booking is essential.

A presentation by Karen Smith, Ministry of Health

Hosted by Parent & Family Resource Centre

When: Thursday 1st March 7 – 9pm

Where: Nathan Homestead 70 Hill Road, Manurewa

When: Tuesday 13th March 12.30 – 2.30pm (preschoolers welcome)

Where: Disability Resource Centre 14 Erson Avenue, Royal Oak

When: Tuesday 20th March 7 – 9pm

Where: YES Disability Resource Centre 3 William Laurie Place, Albany

RSVP is essential: Phone Melissa