[Top, from L-R]: Dr. Glenda de Villa, Dr. Chrys Marquez-Cruz, Mr. Jun Grimares, Ms. Mamta Carroll, Ms. Kimmy Flaviano, Dr. Janet Pandan, Dr. Bernie Tansipek, Mr. Paolo Sison III
[Bottom, from L-R]: Dr. Cecile Cabrera, Ms. Van Enriquez, Ms. Gina Sevilla, and Ms. Van Davidon at the launch of the Cleft Leadership Center in Taft, Manila
The world’s biggest cleft-focused charity, Smile Train, and Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation Philippines, Inc. (NCFPI) open the nation’s first Cleft Leadership Center (CLC), united by a shared mission to enhancing access to cleft care. The opening of this premier cleft clinic, which coincides with Smile Train’s milestone of funding more than 75,000 cleft surgeries in the Philippines, affirms the organization’s ongoing commitment to offering improved progressive care, particularly for cleft-affected Filipinos in need. As we witnessed the event, I acquired so much information about the organization and its genuine mission to give a bright smile to those with cleft palates. I also had the chance to talk to one of the surgeons there and get enlightened on how these surgeries work, especially for the young ones. I was delighted that the event was successfully held and we got so much information from them.
“Smile Train celebrates its 75,000 cleft surgery milestone this year and, as we recognize this significant accomplishment, we know there is still more work ahead of us. The launch of the CLC represents our commitment to continuously providing safe, high-quality, and timely care for the Philippine cleft community by building a stronger, comprehensive cleft care system,” shared Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train’s Vice President for Southeast Asia.
The CLC also functions as a regional center for cleft care and education, building on Smile Train’s all-inclusive strategy and long-term paradigm for cleft care. The CLC’s presence in the nation fills the gap between the community of Filipinos with clefts and their accessibility to high-quality cleft care.
High-Quality Cleft Care
The CLC is a multidisciplinary center that provides 100% free comprehensive cleft care from birth to adulthood, powered by a capable local network of medical professionals.
To reach more cleft-affected Filipinos in need, Smile Train strengthened its existing partnership with NCFPI, an organization that leads the standard of multidisciplinary cleft care in the Philippines. Both organizations work together to provide free, quality cleft care to Filipinos who would otherwise not be able to afford the treatment they need.
“NCFPI is a long-time partner of Smile Train in bringing holistic cleft care to cleft-affected individuals in the Philippines. The CLC ensures that an individual’s treatment journey does not stop with cleft surgery but also requires other services necessary for them to live a full and healthier life,” said Dr. Bernard Tansipek, President of NCFPI.
The CLC brings comprehensive cleft care closer to Filipinos as it houses different services necessary for holistic treatment and rehabilitation. All these can be found in NCFPI’s two sites: the Smile Train Craniofacial Center in Joshua Center, which has orthodontic and speech therapy services, and at the Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Parañaque where surgeries, orthodontics and dental treatment, nutrition services, and counseling are held.
Dental Room at the Cleft Leadership Center in Joshua Center, Taft, Manila
The CLC also serves as a training and educational hub for local medical practitioners. The skills and experience of the cleft teams and state-of-the-art technology in these centers help build local medical capacity in treating different types of clefts, ensuring that Filipinos do not have to travel far to get access to high-quality cleft care. Smile Train supports NCFPI with the needed resources and enables them to help those in need.
Going Beyond the 75k Smiles
The opening of the first CLC in the Philippines opens the door for more Filipinos to receive the excellent, secure, and free care they require. More than this, it also symbolizes a continual innovation and improvement of care that will result in a more ideal outcome for every procedure.
Visit smiletrain.org to learn more about Smile Train’s international initiatives. Visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram @SmileTrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines to find out more about our regional initiatives in the Philippines.
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