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  • the-difference-we-make
  1. International projects
  2. The people we help

The people we help

We have been very fortunate to work around the world and the families of some of our young patients have told us how the work we do has directly impacted their lives. Here are some of those stories.

CLEFT's International work

CLEFT's International work

A new film by Paul Whiitaker shows some of the projects that CLEFT has been able to support so far and what our philosophy is with regards to supporting international centres, Our core ethos - of providing long-term, sustainable ways of bridging the gap in cleft care - is at the very heart of all we do. Read more

Published: 1st July, 2022

Author: Melanie Baldwin

Baby Abdur receives his first operation

Baby Abdur receives his first operation

Baby Abdur was born with a complex craniofacial cleft. His mother brought him to the cleft centre in Dhaka where he is now being treated. Read more

Published: 25th February, 2022

Updated: 4th July, 2022

Author: Melanie Baldwin

A parent's story

A parent's story

Andrew Steel is father to Alanna (pictured above) who is currently preparing to go off to university. Alanna's childhood has been a happy one but she has undergone many operations to fix her cleft palate. This is their story... Read more

Published: 1st July, 2021

Updated: 18th October, 2021

Author: Melanie Baldwin

Alannah's story

Alannah's story

Alannah is a lovely, normal teenage, born in 2006 with 22q11 Deletion Syndrome. Her mother tells her story here. Read more

Published: 22nd April, 2020

Updated: 19th August, 2020

Author: Melanie Baldwin

Kamrul

Kamrul was born with a craniofacial cleft in 2018. Follow his amazing progress here. Read more

Published: 4th March, 2020

Updated: 15th December, 2021

Author: Melanie Baldwin

Kirstie's story

Kirstie's story

Kirstie has had a number of operations to mend her unilateral cleft lip and palate. Read more

Published: 11th October, 2019

Updated: 7th December, 2020

Author: Melanie Baldwin

Moriam's story

Moriam's story

Moriam was born with a unilateral, single sided cleft of lip and palate. Her parents explain why receiving treatment at the cleft centre in Dhaka was so important. Read more

Published: 4th October, 2019

Updated: 20th January, 2022

Author: Melanie Baldwin

Yeasin

Yeasin

A story from Bangladesh: Yeasin. Read more

Published: 2nd October, 2019

Updated: 7th October, 2021

Author: Melanie Baldwin

Ibrahim's Story

Ibrahim's Story

Ibrahim was born with a craniofacial cleft and has a difficult journey ahead of him. Follow his journey here so far. Read more

Published: 2nd October, 2019

Updated: 28th February, 2022

Author: Melanie Baldwin

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Showing 10 of 9

Latest

  • Formal Dinner

    Formal Dinner

    CLEFT is organising a Formal Dinner at the Civil Service Club in the heart of London for friends & supporters of the charity.

  • Ed's GNR Fundraiser

    Running the GNR in support of the Research Fund

  • Euan's Great North Run Fundraiser

    Euan's Great North Run Fundraiser

    I am raising money for CLEFT to support important research projects to help understand the causes of clefts and to develop better ways to treat them.

  • Karen Mallett  Half  Marathon fundraiser

    Karen Mallett Half Marathon fundraiser

    My name is Karen Mallett, I am a visually impaired runner. The reason I have chosen to raise funds for this wonderful charity is, when I was in primary school there was a child who was born with a cleft lip and palate, 40 years have passed, but I still remember that child and the struggles he experienced.

Most read

  • Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery

    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.

  • Our mission

    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

    Donate

    You can donate or sign up to a regular donation to help us plan for the future.

  • The Great North Run 2022

    The Great North Run 2022

    Our first year taking part in the Great North Run 2022, we are very pleased to be part of this amazing event.

  • The Great Bristol Run 2022

    The Great Bristol Run 2022

    This is an exciting half marathon race through Bristol and is CLEFT's first year taking part.

  • 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.

  • Nawrin and the C-Arm

    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.

  • MRI Speech Assessment

    MRI Speech Assessment

    This important research looked at using MRI to assess whether further surgery could improve speech for people with repaired clefts.

  • The genetics of cleft lip and palate

    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.

  • About us

    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.

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10a Warren Estate
Lordship Road
Writtle
Chelmsford
CM1 3WT

+44 (0) 1245 421901
[email protected]

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Registered as Charity number 1194581