Why I’ve left a gift to CLEFT in my Will – Mel’s story

Melanie Baldwin – Chief Operations Officer at CLEFT

"I want every child to have the chance to find their voice - just like my son did."

When Melanie Baldwin’s son, Noah, was born with a cleft palate, he was treated at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, by a dedicated and compassionate cleft team. Melanie describes the medical professionals as “kind, committed, and always going above and beyond.” Their care, from surgery through to speech therapy, had a life-changing impact.

Today, Noah is thriving. Though he still has occasional check-ups, he’s doing brilliantly. This is all thanks to the skilled team that supported him, including a surgeon who was trained by CLEFT’s co-founder, Brian Sommerlad.

But the journey wasn’t easy. At the age of three, Noah couldn’t speak. Melanie and her family used Makaton to communicate, unsure if he would ever be able to express himself with words. “I hadn’t realised how vital speech is, not just for school, but for relationships, for making friends, for work later in life. It touches every part of who we are.”

That experience inspired Melanie to include a gift to CLEFT in her Will, a gift she hopes will give other children the same chance. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been born in the UK, where access to specialist care is available. But around the world, so many children born with cleft conditions still can’t access treatment or speech therapy. I want my gift to change that, to help more children find their voice, just like Noah did.”

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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.
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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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