This project will fund the medically supplies necessary to provide cleft surgery for 40 children in Peru in 2025. The incidence of a cleft lip or palate among newborns in Peru is higher than the global average, and the local healthcare system is ill-equipped to meet the demand for cleft services, particularly surgeries.
The impact of a cleft on a child's life is monumental. Although children all over the world are born with clefts, there is a higher incidence of cleft lip and palate deformities in the mountain regions of Peru. Due to geographical and financial barriers, most patients never receive the surgical care they need to lead healthy, productive lives. Children with unrepaired clefts are susceptible to malnutrition, poor speech development, improper dentition and social exclusion.
The FACES Foundation closes the gap in the current healthcare system with its cleft campaigns. As in prior years, FACES will partner with a local hospital and provide the instruments, supplies, and personnel necessary to provide cleft surgeries to 40 patients at no cost to them or their families. These patients will be screened and selected prior to the campaign by facial plastics surgeons, reviewed by local pediatricians, and cared for in a hospital setting throughout the process.
With surgical intervention, the patient will be able to progress and grow to be a productive member of society. By extension, their families will also experience less anxiety and greater well-being. The high-quality surgeries and therapies our team provides reduces individual disability and provides tremendous socio-economic benefits. Additionally, the collaboration with the medical professionals of Northern Peru is raising awareness and increasing capacity for specialized cleft care locally.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
