Epic run to help child with cleft palate

A PORT Elizabeth pastor will be putting his best foot forward in a bid to put a smile on the face of a needy Bay child.

In a collaborative effort with The Smile Organisation, Matthew Cullis, 37, is running the 90km Comrades Marathon that sets off from Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, to raise funds for a child born with a cleft palate.

It will be his third attempt at conquering the race after he “hit the wall” in 2016 and had bronchitis last year.

“This year’s Comrades is more personal to me because I will be running to raise money that will go towards an operation for a child with a cleft palate.” Cullis’s son, Joel, nine, was born with a cleft palate which prompted him and wife Helena to create a website as a means of a support platform.

The website “Cleft Friends” aims to connect mothers whose babies have cleft palates to provide information, share experiences, create shared platforms and create awareness about the cleft palate syndrome.

Cullis remembers the moment when the doctor told him his son had a cleft palate after he was born.

“My wife and I were a young couple, Joel was our first child and we were nervous. We did not even know what a cleft palate was,” Cullis said.

“From day one, raising him has been a learning curve.”

Having a wife who works for The Smile organisation has been an added advantage for the couple.

“My wife works for The Smile Organisation and they have Smile Week, where they give children from disadvantages backgrounds the opportunity to undergo surgery for cleft palate.

“They offer help to 15-20 families that includes the operation, counselling, psychologist, clothing and any other support for families who have children with cleft palate.”

Although he has only so far raised a meagre R3 000 in the build-up to the race, he was confident he would raise the minimum R15 000 required.

Last year, the father of two managed to raise up to R19 000 to help a family with the cost of the operation – which can be anything up to R20 000.