Archive Research Projects

In 2021, CLEFT became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with a new charity number and updated charitable aims. Before that, we were still called CLEFT, but we were registered under a different charity number and had slightly different rules about the work we could support.

Before 2021, “old CLEFT” focused only on funding research projects linked to the North Thames cleft team (based at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford).

Although CLEFT has since grown and widened its charitable aims, these earlier projects remain an important part of our history. They represent the foundation of our commitment to improving care, treatment and understanding for children and adults born with a cleft.

Speech@Home UPDATE

We are delighted to update you on the launch of the Speech@Home website – a unique online cleft therapy and parent training resource for children with cleft articulation difficulties. Read more

VPI Paper in Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal

The American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal reviewed literature on palate re-repair for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) and cited the Sommerlad Protocol and Palate Repair technique of VPI as being very beneficial to patients with an 84% success rate. 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

Speech@Home now launched!

We are delighted that the website Speech@Home is now available. Read more

Soft palate muscles research

A project to better understand the way the muscles of the soft palate work to see if improvements can be made to surgical techniques and reduce the need for further operations and speech therapy. Read more

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. Read more

TBX22 Mouse Model

CLEFT has funded research into the investigation of a gene called the TBX22 that regulates important development events during normal palate function, in order to find new treatments. 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

P.L.A.T. project

The Parent Led Articulation Therapy (P.L.A.T) project has been looking at improving speech outcomes for children by enabling parents to help their children with cleft palate speech difficulties. 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

Latest

Javid's 10k Fundraising Run

My son Elvin was born with a cleft lip in 2024. But thanks to the NHS, we got world class care and the result was unrecognisable. Sometimes we remember the fact that he used to have a cleft and we miss his huge carefree cleft smile. But unfortunately not every child has access to the same professional support. It is Elvin's 2nd birthday this week, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to run 10k fundraising for CLEFT - to help other children across the world, bridging the gap.
LF1 Cleft Charity

We are raising money with the LF1 division of the Cleft Charity at Charles University, Prague, to support sustainable, long-term improvements in cleft care. Through fundraising and awareness initiatives at LF1, we aim to contribute to the main UK Cleft Charity’s mission of improving access to cleft treatment, multidisciplinary care, and support services for patients and families both in the UK and internationally.
London Marathon 2027

1.33 million people applied for the London Marathon 2027. For the first time ever CLEFT has a guaranteed place. We are looking for someone incredible to run the London Marathon for CLEFT. Could that person be you?
Sarah’s 10K for Cleft UK

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

Donate to CLEFT

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.
National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery

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