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Chi from Vietnam: abandoned by her mother

Cleft children from all over the world

23-12-2019

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Imagine the desperation that drives a mother to abandon her baby. Little Chi’s mother didn’t know what else to do. On April 25, 2019, she gave birth to her daughter. With the girl’s father not at her side, she was already under pressure from her own family. There was no support to be expected. And certainly not for a child who looked like Chi, disfigured by a large double-sided lip cleft. The additional cleft palate meant that she could not even breastfeed her daughter.

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Chi on Dr. Ai’s arm with one of the monks.

The buddhist monastery.

Chi before the surgery with a project worker.

Dr. Ai examines little Chi.

A last photograph before the surgery.

Dr. Ai during Chi’s surgery.

Happy End: after the successful operation.

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Last hope: Buddhist monks

In her desperation, the young mother saw no other way but to give her baby into the care of Buddhist monks. It was also the monks who gave her her name and campaigned for the girl to receive treatment. The first operation took place on December 5, 2019: Our longstanding Vietnamese partner, the experienced surgeon Dr. Ai, closed Chi’s cleft lip. The palate surgery is planned for this year. And maybe Chi’s mother will return sometime to take in her daughter.

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Cleft children from all over the world

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DCKH Cleft children from all over the world From our projects Videos

DCKH

Pharaoh Tutankhamun – The oldest (and most famous?) known cleft patient?

The ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, who died in 1324 BC, is a historical figure known to many for the sensational artwork found in his tomb, including a spectacular death mask. What is less known is that the young deceased, like many people living today, was born and lived with a cleft palate.

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Cleft children from all over the world

Cristóbal, a child with cleft lip and palate from Bolivia

In June 2020, Cristóbal is born with a cleft lip and palate in El Alto, Bolivia. His mother takes care of Cristobal and his two siblings and the household. His father's meager salary as a bricklayer is just enough to survive. At the clinic where Cristóbal was born, his parents received no information about his cleft lip and palate or treatment options, and the couple's family did not support them either. But Cristóbal's story has a happy ending.

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From our projects

Project visit Sierra Leone

Many people in Sierra Leone are affected by extreme poverty. This also means very poor conditions and little hope for treatment for those who give birth to a child with cleft lip here. Now our long-time volunteer supporters and Africa project leaders, the highly qualified surgeons Dr. Dr. Oliver Blume and Gunther Au-Balbach, visited the country to establish contacts for a new cleft project and to provide care to the first patients.

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Videos

The story of Maui, cleft child from Colombia

Our new project to help children with cleft lip and palate in Colombia begins with a very unusual case. Maui was born with a cleft lip and palate. His parents belong to an indigenous people and do not know how to get him the help he needs. By a happy coincidence, Julia, a Swiss woman living in Colombia, is a neighbor of the family and offers to help. In search of treatment options, she comes across Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe.

Video: Impressions from Bolivia

The parents of our cleft children are always full of gratitude. When their child is born with cleft, they often do not know what to make of the malformation, much less that it can be treated. And even if they do - most of our little patients come from the poorest of backgrounds. Their parents could never afford the operation. It is an unimaginable happiness for them to learn that their children can receive qualified treatment, and free of charge even. This wonderful, touching film from our Bolivian aid project captures these special moments of happiness.

Video: Impressions from Pakistan

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