When Stacy (Brown) Swope, ’06, set out to write a picture book, she didn’t have to look far for inspiration — her son. Her book, “The Sparkle You Carry: A Cleft Lip and Palate Journey,” is a whimsical and heartwarming story about an extraordinary boy named Sam whose medical condition has required many surgeries. The tale is inspired by Swope’s resilient young son, one of more than 8,000 children born each year with a cleft lip and palate.
The story follows Sam as he prepares for his fourth surgery. His cleft surgeries have helped him talk, eat, breathe and smile like other children. Even though he doesn’t complain, he’s still wary of each approaching surgery. To encourage him, Sam’s mom shares a special secret: He was born with an invisible backpack that fills with sparkles each time he faces a challenge. Those sparkles, symbols of his resilience and strength, make the world brighter for everyone. After Sam heals and he can finally return to school, he sees the sparkle in other kids’ backpacks, too.
Swope lives in Springville and works as a preschool special education specialist. She and her husband, alum Michael Swope, ’06, ’07, have two children, Andrew and Benjamin. Benjamin is the inspiration behind the character Sam.
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