WHAT WE DO
Lives that need to be reconstructed
No parents wish to see that their newly born baby has a fatal deformity like cleft. But unfortunately, as we all know, several babies are born cleft-affected. Though it is one of the most common birth defects in the human world, majority of the society turn a blind eye to the ill-fated lives of children who are born with a cleft lip and (or) a cleft palate. It would have been different if there were more awareness of the difficulties a cleft-affected person has to go through, other than not being able to smile as beautiful as most of us do.
The list of issues associated with cleft ranges from breathing and eating difficulties to serious speech disorders. Frequent infections in the ear that could lead to hearing loss, various dental problems etc. make a cleft-affected person’s life a nonstop struggle. The loss of confidence, isolation and personality damage he/she experiences are almost unimaginable for anyone who leads a normal life. But what we can imagine is a cleft-free world, by helping those unfortunate siblings of ours get the right treatment and the right to a better, normal life as well.
Charity is not a compulsion. It is our duty, rather.
The cleft & craniofacial centre is not the only project of Dr. A.K. Cherian Memorial Charitable Society. The society’s services extend to almost all areas of life where there are needy hands seeking help.
Incepted in the first month of 2010, the beginning was a humble one by providing financial support for dialysis for a few patients and offering monetary help for professional courses, to some students from poor socio-economic status.
The next year saw the society expanding its service to more areas. Improving the lives of people who are generally treated as outcasts by the public conscience was one of the goals the chartable society focused on. Awareness camps on alcoholism and its consequences were organized in several colonies where the majority of men were addicted to alcohol.
The impact of these awareness programmes on these men and their families were really inspiring. Free dental check-up along with awareness programmes on dental hygiene to school children were organized effectively. And, financial support for patients who need dialysis was continued.
Now, the society has its serving hands extended to various directions in order to find and help the deserving ones the best possible way. Ambulance service, feeding programmes, medical camps, awareness programmes, financial assistance for various causes etc. are a few among the services it offers, along with the complete correction process package offered to cleft-affected children. The society aims to reach out to more and more needy people in the society and to make their lives as better as possible.
St. Thomas Cleft & Craniofacial Centre: Committed to bring a change
St. Thomas is South India’s most prominent name in repairing cleft-related/craniofacial deformities, where hundreds of children are treated every year. It is not easy to carry out the correction process with every cleft-affected child because it takes multiple surgeries and procedures over a course of 18 years, in almost every case, to complete the process.
That is, on one hand, there has to be a full-fledged, advanced clinical environment and on the other hand, a team of dedicated professionals. The centre, by the grace of God, has both. The equipment and facilities we have here are nothing less than state-of-the-art.
And our team consists of maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons, anaesthetists, senior-junior resident surgeons, speech therapist, audiologist, office co-ordinators and OT assistants. Their dedication is what made the centre and its services possible, as they are not just driven by the passion for their profession but also led by an ardent wish to make this world a better place.
A noble gesture of humanity
A crucial fact about cleft-affected children are that a huge majority of them come from financially backward families. Reason why St. Thomas cleft & craniofacial centre charges no fee for any of the procedures in the entire correction process. Besides, the centre provides accommodation and food for both the patient and bystander for free of cost.
Rehabilitation and schooling
The care and attention given to these children by the centre doesn’t end with providing all the correction procedures, accommodation and food for free. It offers proper rehabilitation and excellent schooling for these kids, moulding them into promising citizens. Also, the centre encourages the children to bring out the talents in them, especially in the areas of creativity, performing arts and sports. In short, the centre is not just about correcting cleft deformities. It contributes to the overall personality development of all the kids who get treated here.