Cleft Lip and Palate Project

Imagine if your child had a cleft palate but you had no money for surgery.

The project originally began for Thai hill tribe children by the YMCA. Today, there are very few lip and palate deformities in Thailand, perhaps due to an improved diet. However, the problem still exists for hundreds of Wa and hill tribe children in Burma (Myanmar).

We help facilitate the ability for children and family members to cross the border from Burma (Myanmar) to Chiang Rai, Thailand, where we work together with Overbrook Hospital in Chiang Rai, the YMCA, and volunteer doctors and surgeons from Canada’s Operation Smile, to help change the lives of many children.

So far over 100 operations have been completed but there are still many Wa children currently waiting — we will take as many children as funds allow — up to 30 children per quarter.