Cleft Lip & Palate Support at Every Stage: Inside GBMC’s Unique Program

The Randolph B. Capone Cleft Lip and Palate Program at GBMC offers comprehensive, interdisciplinary care for patients born with cleft lip and/or palate—beginning at the prenatal stage and continuing through adulthood. This unique program is one of only two in the Baltimore metropolitan area and stands out for its presence in a community hospital setting, providing an accessible alternative to larger medical centers. 

From prenatal counseling to surgical repair and follow-up therapies, patients and their families are supported by a dedicated team of specialists—including surgeons, dietitians, speech-language pathologists, and more—who work together in a collaborative, patient-centered model. The team approach means families don’t need to navigate a complex web of separate appointments; instead, they receive holistic, coordinated care all in one place. 

Parents like Nick and Kelly, whose daughter Macy was born prematurely at 32 weeks and diagnosed with a cleft palate in the NICU, emphasize the emotional and practical support they received. “They were always just a phone call or text away,” said Kelly. “As a first-time mom, that meant everything.” 

Staff members describe deep fulfillment in their roles, driven by a commitment to making children and families feel safe, understood, and empowered. For many, it’s more than medicine—it’s a calling. One team member, a former teacher, notes how her own cleft experience helps her build trust and ease patient anxiety. 

By offering this kind of coordinated, lifelong support in a community setting, the Randolph B. Capone Program exemplifies GBMC’s mission to provide advanced, personalized care close to home. 

Learn more about the The Randolph B. Capone Cleft Lip and Palate Program at GBMC