Kate Le Marechal

Kate graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1996 with a first degree in Psychology (BA Hons) and obtained her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) in 2001 at University College London. On completing her clinical training, Kate began her Clinical Psychology career in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) before moving to National and Specialist CAMHS (Autism and Related Disorders). She also worked within an Adolescent Forensic Mental Health team at the Maudsley Hospital and was the Lead Clinical Psychologist for the Tuberous Sclerosis 2000 research study. Within the Evelina London Cleft Service, Kate is responsible for overseeing the psychological input for patients and families who require support across the lifespan. This includes providing interventions to help individuals cope with issues around identify and difference, self-confidence and self-esteem and dealing with bullying and teasing. Kate has always had a wider role within UK cleft care and has been the Clinical Psychology representative on the Cleft Development Group (CDG), the Cleft Clinical Reference Group (CRG) and within the UK Clinical Psychology Clinical Excellence Network (CEN).

Kate was President of the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland for 2014/2015 and hosted the National Conference in London in April 2015. She contributes to national research projects and has presented at a range of national and international conferences. Kate enjoys providing teaching and training to a range of audiences including medical and dental registrars and other health professionals as well as with Clinical Psychologists both pre and post qualification.

Latest

Cleft Awareness Week - Kaeli's Page

I am raising money to provide long-term, sustainable ways to improve cleft care both in the UK and overseas.
Daniel Stonehouse-Smith

Specialist Orthodontist
Anna Sanders

I am the Assistant Psychologist for Spires Cleft Centre, Oxford.
Eleanor's Half Marathon Fundraiser

In September, I am running a Half Marathon in support of CLEFT, a charity focusing on sustainable ways to improve cleft care both in the UK and overseas. Any donations to help me reach my target and encourage my training are appreciated!

Rowan Griffiths

Photojournalist based in South Wales
Ghassan S. Abu-Sittah
Chloé Rolland

Consultant Orthodontist
Liz Grant
Paul Whittaker

I began working with CLEFT as a filmmaker and photographer in 2016, initially to highlight the progress of the multi-disciplinary cleft centre CLEFT has helped create in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Chris Hill
Mahen Bulumulla

I am excited to support the work of CLEFT charity team, a charity close to my heart.
David Orr, Consultant Plastic Surgeon

David Orr has been a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Our Lady's Children's Hospital and St James's Hospital, Dublin since 1998.
Triona Sweeney

Dr Triona Sweeney (BA, MSc, PhD) is a Cleft Specialist Speech & Language Therapist. She is a Founder and co-Director with Dr Debbie Sell of Speech at Home, an online therapy resource centre which aims to empower parents of children with cleft palate to deliver speech therapy at home under the supervision of a speech and language therapist.
Neil Brierley

I am currently working as a national TIG fellow in Cleft Lip and Palate surgery in the Northern and Yorkshire Cleft Lip & Palate service. I live in Leeds with my son.

Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery

We are working with Bangladeshi specialists at the new Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery to create a sustainable centre to treat children with cleft lip and palate.
Nawrin and the C-Arm

This important piece of equipment was supplied by CLEFT and is used to see moving images of the cleft palate. Nawrin is a 13 year old girl who was experiencing speech difficulties and needed the C-Arm to show the cleft team if further surgery was required.
Our mission

CLEFT was established in 2007 with one aim, to help improve the lives of children born with cleft lip and palate, either by funding research into the likely causes of the condition or by helping support teams in lower and middle income countries.
Donate

You can make a one-off donation today or sign up to giving a regular monthly gift. All donations, small or large, will help us to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate both now and in the future. 100% of your donation today will go towards funding an international or research project thanks to a charitable trust covering all our administrative costs until February 2025.
About us

CLEFT was established in 2007 by cleft surgeon Brian Sommerlad - based at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, together with a former patient and a patient's grandmother.
The genetics of cleft lip and palate

Investigations into the genetics of cleft lip and palate to understand more about why cleft lip and palate occurs.
Our research vision

At CLEFT, our vision is of a future where clefts are preventable. Until we get there, we want to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate.
Brian Sommerlad, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Chair of Trustees

For over 40 years, I have been involved in operating on babies, children and adults who have been born with cleft lip and/or palate.
Trusts and Foundations

Today, 1-in-700 babies in the UK are born with a cleft lip and palate, the most common form of birth defect. The impact on a child’s life as they grow is profound. Typically, they will need at least four operations. They may also require ongoing tests, treatment or therapy. It will affect the way they look but also their speech, hearing and dental development. It can leave deep psychological scars.
Our philosophy

The two arms of CLEFT are brought together by our mission to bridge the gap in cleft care and knowledge both in the UK and around the world. Our international and research philosophies are at the very heart of our work.