Cleft Project 2020

What we do to help kids with Cleft

Each year, up to 250,000 babies are born worldwide with clefts of lip or palate or both, with the majority in low income and low resource countries. Approximately 75% of these children their treatment is funded by non-governmental organisation (NGOs).

MERCY Humanitarian UK (MHUK) conducted it’s first cleft lip and palate (CLIP) operation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in January 2020 at Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital. The team (7 of them) sucessfully operated 32 children (after screening over 100 children and adults born with CLIP). This has included 15 primary cases with cleft lip and palate (never operated before), and 17 with revisional surgeries (that were operated previously and had complications and poor outcomes needing revisional surgery). They also brought operative instruments and four operative trays from the UK.

The team provided hands on training for all team members based at the hospital, including surgeons, scrub nurses and recovery staff as well as sharing their knowledge on infection control aspects. They also looked after the patients pre and post operatively, reviewed them through to discharge, and parents were given after care advice. This is a crucial point in their aftercare to make sure no damage is caused to the operative repair of the cleft lip and palate. All children were seen by surgeons prior to discharge with follow up plans in place with the local team. The team hope their humble mission has drawn a smile on these kids’ faces and their families, a smile they have been dreaming of for many years. Also, allow the children to be able to have a better speech and communication to integrate in their society for better social and educational future.

Overall it was a sucessfull mission at Cambodia and the team would like to continue it at Nepal in February 2024. We hope, through you, we offer surgery for cleft lip and palate for children of Nepal, and help them to improve aesthetics and functionality: i.e. ability to eat & drink and improve speech and aim to give good quality of life and minimalise aspirations and chest infections.

A charity can play a crucial role in supporting a cleft project in several ways. Here are some ways in which a charity can help with a cleft project:

Raising funds: Charities often engage in fundraising activities to secure financial resources for cleft projects. They may organize events, launch online campaigns, seek donations from individuals and businesses, and apply for grants to gather the necessary funds.
Awareness and education: Charities can raise awareness about cleft conditions and their impact on individuals and communities. They can organize educational campaigns, workshops, and seminars to inform the public about cleft lip and palate, its causes, treatment options, and the importance of early intervention.
Partnering with medical professionals: Charities often collaborate with medical professionals, including surgeons, nurses, and speech therapists, who specialize in cleft care. By establishing partnerships, charities can ensure access to quality medical expertise and resources.
Supporting surgical missions: Charities may organize and sponsor surgical missions, where teams of medical professionals travel to underserved areas to perform cleft surgeries. These missions often focus on regions with limited access to healthcare facilities or where the cost of treatment is a barrier. By providing financial and logistical support, charities help ensure that individuals with cleft conditions receive timely and necessary surgical interventions.