Cleft

Clinicians bring cleft care expertise to life in video

Our new film shines a light on the twinning relationship, developed between Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary and the Kirtipur Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Filmed by Prasuna Dongol, a Nepalese film maker based in Kathmandu herself, and edited by Paul Whittaker, this is a fascinating insight into how different cleft disciplines can work together to provide a more holistic approach to treatment. Read more
Using eye-tracking to measure success in surgery

Repair of a cleft of the lip leaves a scar, and nearly always some visible difference in appearance of the lip such as asymmetry. Such differences in appearance can cause significant distress so it is important that surgery results in the ‘best’ outcome possible. This research project being carried out by a team in Newcastle looks at how success can be measured using eye-tracking. Read more
Sustainable, long-term care matters!

Back in February 2023, the Great Ormond Street team of clinicians visited the Sheik Hasina National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery in Bangladesh with Mirror journalist, Nick Sommerlad and photographer, Rowan Griffiths. Read more

We aim to provide long-term, sustainable ways to bridge the gap in cleft care and knowledge in the UK and overseas

A New Era of Cleft Care in Iraq

Niza was a 3 month-old baby with an incomplete bilateral cleft (partial double-sided) lip and cleft palate. The first operation was to repair the lip and the front of the palate. The rest of the palate will be repaired by the team in Sulaimania in 3-6 months' time.

Psychology in cleft care

What is the role of a Psychologist in cleft care in the UK and is there any reason why the same principles can't be applied in lower and middle income countries? Dr Kate le Maréchal, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Service for the Evelina London Cleft Service delves into the importance of the Psychologist as part of the multidisciplinary care given to cleft patients and their families.

CLEFT Project in Egypt February 2024

The CLEFT chairman, Brian, visited Sohag on 4th February, for the 12th time since 2010, to hold an operative workshop with the local team in Sohag University Hospital carrying on the links between CLEFT and the cleft lip and palate team in Sohag.

2024 Ford RideLondon-Essex

The iconic Ford RideLondon-Essex 100 returns in 2024 - one of the UK's most prestigious cycling challenges. We have limited places available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Our impact

1 in 700	children is born with a cleft palate.
£40	the cost of a cleft operation on a baby in a low-income country.
£250	cost to give treatment over a lifetime.

Make a donation

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£250

Can cover the lifetime cleft care needed for one child in a lower income country, including operations, speech therapy and dentistry.

£40

Can cover the cost of a cleft lip and palate operation in a low-income country by paying for essential anaesthetic and suture material.

£5

Can pay for 5 dental kits to provide patients and parents in Bangladesh with tools and education to improve dental hygiene.

Other

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100% of your donation will go towards funding an international or research project thanks to a charitable trust covering all our administrative costs until April 2025.

Breakthroughs in cleft research

Development of an automatic scoring software tool

This pioneering research using artificial intelligence is an exciting new project currently being undertaken at the Birmingham Children's Hospital. Read more
FOXF2 gene discovery

A genetic defect has been identified in a family from Egypt with a type of palate abnormality and speech disorder apparently not previously described. The FOXF2 research is one of the many projects currently funded by CLEFT, paid for with money raised by our donors and fundraisers. Read more
MRI Speech Assessment

This important research looked at using MRI to assess whether further surgery could improve speech for people with repaired clefts. Read more
New paper published in the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal

Research that CLEFT funded shows how a pioneering surgical technique results in a very low rate of secondary speech surgery and very good speech outcomes in children aged 5 years of age, with less need for speech therapy. Read more

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Our impact

1 in 700

£40

£250

Make a donation

Breakthroughs in cleft research