Gwyneth Sommerlad The charity has been part of my life since it began more than 10 years ago. Expand CLEFT has been an important part of the life of our whole family and their friends. All have been involved in some way – running, cycling, helping with the website and being part of the concerts and other events. My two visits (self-funded as are all trustees’ trips) to Bangladesh have helped me to understand how important is the project there and shown me how much the staff and patients in Dhaka Medical College Hospital appreciate the work of CLEFT.
Kaye Knowles I live in West London with my husband, Peter. We have two sons, David & Andrew. Expand My career has included many years as a professional violinist (BBC Philharmonic, Bridge String Quartet) and as a violin then classroom teacher. I now teach Dalcroze Eurhythmics at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on their String & Brass Training Programme and for Dalcroze UK on the Teacher Training programmes as well as on courses all over the world. I was born with a cleft lip and palate and first encountered CLEFT runners in 2014 at the Royal Parks Half Marathon. That year I ran for Great Ormond Street Hospital charity, which is where I received my treatment. This included over a dozen operations. In the following year, 2015, I decided to raise money for CLEFT. I then volunteered to run the Uganda Marathon in 2016 and raised over £2,000 for the charity. I am keenly aware of how privileged I am to have had my cleft repaired by the very best surgeons and how this has allowed me to lead a normal life! My experience in Uganda was a sharp reminder of what can happen when superstition and lack of education are the norm. I have been moved at how cleft charities have literally given people the opportunity to have a life.
Mahaveer Sangha 2021-22 Founder and Chair of the Student Section, I am currently a trainee doctor and a member of the CLEFT Fundraising Committee. Expand My name is Mahaveer Sangha, I am a trainee doctor having recently graduated from University College London. I originally joined CLEFT in 2017/18 as a Student Ambassador. I think the work CLEFT does is amazing. Without adequate and sustainable treatment, children with cleft lips/palates from less privileged backgrounds often face a life of stigma, social exclusion, and health issues. I joined CLEFT to help the charity, in any small way I could, to end this. I hope that one day no child has to suffer due to a lack of access to sustainable cleft lip/palate care and believe that by working together and raising awareness about this issue, that day will soon come.
Julie Davies Senior Specialist Speech & Language Therapist, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Expand My name is Julie and I have been a speech and language therapist with the cleft team in Manchester since 1997. During this time, I have enjoyed working with a very committed team of cleft professionals, been involved in research, been Chair of the Speech and Language Therapy Clinical Excellence Network and Treasurer of the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland. I am a keen walker and love the outdoors and so joined CLEFT to support the charities fundraising in any way I can and hopefully through my contacts, friends and family will be able to encourage more people to join us.
Siobhan McMahon I am currently the Lead Speech and Language Therapist with the cleft team based at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool. Expand I have had experience working with cleft teams in a number of low/middle income countries including Nepal, India and Vietnam.