BINTULU: The stigma of those with cleft lip and palate in society can be avoided if they seek early treatment and surgery.
GENEROUS AID: Dr Kim (third left) receiving a mock cheque from Bintulu Development Authority general manager Datu Mohidin Ishak, one of the sponsors as (from left) Sim and Zainal look on.
A recognised plastic surgeon from Kuala Lumpur Dr Kim Tan of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Malaysia (Clapam) who initiated a cleft lip and palate community programme in April 2004 with Columbia Asia Hospital (CAH) said the programme was an ongoing and sustainable community project aimed at giving a better and quality life to the patients.
He said sponsors played a very imperative role by injecting financial assistance to assist those less fortunate, especially rural areas.
According to Dr Kim, children with this facial deformity faced difficulty in integrating into society.
“People will tease you because you look different. Based on my experience with adult patients, many have never been to school, get married or get a job.
“We had patients in their 40s and 50s without any treatment and this is the story they tell us,” he said in a press conference after a mock cheque handover ceremony for the cleft lip and palate community project in Columbia Asia Hospital Bintulu yesterday.
According to Dr Kim, when these patients speak nobody can understand them and so people think they are stupid which is far from the truth.
“They withdraw into a little cell as they can’t integrate with a community which won’t accept somebody who looks or speaks different. Therefore it is important to treat at young early age so that they can become normal as quickly as possible,” he said when asked on the dilemma faced by cleft lip and palate patients.
He stressed that parents must be more responsible about the future of their children.
“Parents know there’s something wrong with child, and they need to consider where to get treatment, whether they have access to hospitals, if they can afford the bear the treatment cost and can they get access to plastic surgery. It is a multi-factorial problem for the parents,” he said.
Also present at the function were CAH chief executive officer Kelvin Tan, CAH Miri regional general manager East Malaysia Yeoh Kim Looi, CAH Bintulu general manager Matthew Sim Siew Lai and Clapam chairman Zainal Azhar Ahmad.
Eligible patients are mostly from the rural areas and they are provided with free food, drinks and transportation. Currently there are 26 patients registered for the programme in Bintulu.
ColumbiaAsiaHospitalin Miri has been conducting the same programme in Miri since 2004 successfully.
Sim said Columbia Asia is committed to support the project and hoped it will be start of many more to come in the years ahead for the community in Bintulu.
Zainal said since initiated in 2004 the project is still alive and is proven to be a successful project with many beautiful and confident smiles carved on the faces of children throughout the years.
“This is the first project in Bintulu with 26 registered patients this year.
“This is a highly successful project with a strong support from the sponsors. They keep on sponsoring because they believe the project has been very helpful to the community and we are hoping the sponsorship will continue in the future,” said Zainal.
Meanwhile Tan said the major success of the project is the creation of a new and better quality of life for over 230 patients from 11 projects throughout the state in the past seven years.
Yeoh on the other hand said out of the 230 patients operated on since 2004, the oldest was 63 years old and the youngest patient was two-months-old.
Asked on the level of awareness among the public especially parents about the problem, she said in Bintulu especially in rural areas it’s still new.
“They are not aware of how and where they can seek assistance for treatment,” said Yeoh.
She added the eligible patients would undergo several surgeries if required depending on their condition.
The public especially parents who have children with cleft lip and palate are urged to contact Goh Teck Nei of CAH Miri should they need repair treatment under the community project at 085-437755.
The campaign is an ongoing charity project by Clapam and those who fulfil the criteria can register with the hospital. For more details, call CAH Bintulu at 086-251888.
Cleft lip and palate is a congenital deformity where there is a split or gap in the lip or palate. It can occur on the lip, palate only or both and it can happen to anyone regardless of race or socio-economic background. With surgery, cleft can be repaired and with good management and care the child can smile with confidence.
Clapam is a volunteer support group set up by parents and professionals who have personal or professional involvement with children born with cleft conditions. Among others we provide support and counselling to parents or family of cleft individual, advice on feeding techniques for cleft babies, provide special bottle and teats and organise talks by medical professionals.