{"id":46118,"date":"2024-05-23T18:37:36","date_gmt":"2024-05-23T18:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/transformingcleft.org\/annual-reports\/?page_id=46118"},"modified":"2025-02-25T15:55:02","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T15:55:02","slug":"2023-impact-report","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/transformingcleft.org\/annual-reports\/2023-impact-report\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 Impact Report"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

\"icon-web\" <\/a> Donate <\/a><\/p>\r\n

\u00a0Impact Report 2023<\/h3>\r\n

Toward Full Rehabilitation<\/h1>\r\n

\"Web_Director-Hugh Hugh Brewster<\/strong>
Executive Director
hugh@transformingfaces.org<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Fueling Our Vision<\/h2>\r\n

Children born with cleft lip and palate should live a full life! This Impact Report celebrates the progress families make toward full rehabilitation, supported by circles of skilled local health professionals.<\/p>\r\n

We celebrate momentum away from the ineffective and expensive ‘fly-in, fly-out’ model of care that depends on foreign volunteers to deliver care. Meeting with Naly and his family<\/a>\u00a0in Madagascar illustrates the transformative impact of tenacious parents when connected to a trusted local team. I won’t soon forget how Naly’s family radiated with pride as he articulated each letter of the alphabet.<\/p>\r\n

We’re indeed thrilled to report that speech therapy is also taking root in East Africa. We thank supporters like you, and our global faculty, for the smashing success of the first-ever collaborative conference for young cleft speech and surgery pioneers in Ethiopia<\/a>\u00a0– another proud milestone from 2023.<\/p>\r\n

Seeing children access care against the odds, and local partners thrive, fuels our vision each day. In the pages that follow, we hope that you glimpse the same joy in the movement toward cleft care for all.<\/p>\r\n

Gratefully,<\/p>\r\n

\"Hugh's<\/p>\r\n

Mission<\/h2>\r\n

We partner locally<\/strong> and innovate globally<\/strong> so that children and families in under-resourced communities access Comprehensive Cleft Care.<\/p>\r\n

Vision<\/h2>\r\n

Our vision is for all children<\/strong> affected by cleft lip and palate to experience full rehabilitation<\/strong> and community inclusion<\/strong> with the support of a trusted local health team. <\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Comprehensive
Cleft Care<\/h2>\r\n

TF’s Circle of Care maps the multidisciplinary support children draw upon in their journey toward full rehabilitation. Our partners ensure that families are offered support every step of the way. Explore some of our 2023 accomplishments in CCC.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Thiago, at the centre of the circle, enjoyed sporting his face paint at a community event for families affected by cleft in Costa Rica.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Donate Today <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Partnering Locally in Under-Resourced Communities<\/h2>\r\n

Children Supported<\/h3>\r\n

2,296 New Patients in 2023
\u2191 19% 5,090 Families helped in 2023
\u2191 14% 8 Avg. Patient Age<\/p>\r\n

Ongoing Comprehensive
Cleft Care<\/h3>\r\n

$274 Avg. yearly per-patient cost
(2021-2023)*<\/p>\r\n

*Our global avg. CCC cost per family includes interventions throughout the Circle of Care. Surgery, speech therapy, nutrition support and other treatments vary in cost regionally.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

\"Precious<\/p>\r\n

Full-Circle Treatments<\/h3>\r\n

33,560 Treatments in 2023
\u2193 12% ** 466,462 Total Treatments since 1999 ** Number of treatments vary year-over-year depending on where
patients are in their personalized treatment plans.<\/p>\r\n

\u2b24 Local Impact<\/h4>\r\n

Countries where TF partners locally to provide CCC in under-resourced communities.<\/p>\r\n

\u2b24 Global Network<\/h4>\r\n

The Circle of Cleft Professionals network & strategic partnerships.<\/p>\r\n

Barriers to Care in Madagascar: Naly’s Story<\/h2>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Naly* was born with a cleft palate. His parents were acquainted with the challenges this poses for feeding and eventually for clear speech – a cousin was also affected by cleft years earlier. Like their relatives, they felt that they had nowhere to turn.<\/p>\r\n

When Naly was 18 months old, the family learned that a surgical mission<\/strong> was coming to town – what luck! Mom and baby spent 2 weeks sleeping at the host school waiting for Naly to be called. Sadly, the foreign team left before they could operate on Naly’s palate.<\/p>\r\n

The next year, the cleft mission was a 12+ hour bus ride away, over treacherous roads. Dad took a leave of absence from work<\/strong> to accompany the family. Again, they waited for 2 weeks, each day praying fervently that their son would be helped. On the last day, they were among the devastated families who were told that they would have to wait yet again.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

This year, Clinique Fanantenana started offering year-round cleft care, provided by local professionals,<\/strong> near their home on Madagascar’s northwest coast. Naly’s family was very suspicious after their previous experiences. Thankfully, Naly’s care started the very same week his mom first reached out to the clinic.<\/p>\r\n

On the day we visited, his parents proudly shared that their son’s teacher had called them to congratulate them for his much-improved speech!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Comprehensive Cleft Care in Madagascar, propelled by skilled local teams, is picking up momentum. Thank you for being a part of the journey.<\/p>\r\n

Supporting Trusted Teams<\/h2>\r\n

Comprehensive Cleft Care (CCC) involves local professionals working together, across disciplines, toward a child’s full rehabilitation. What do we mean by ‘trusted teams’? CCC teams are there for the long haul. They earn the confidence of families<\/strong> at each stage of their child’s treatment.<\/p>\r\n

We support our partners’ training, program development, and mentorship. Our Global Advisors also help ensure that protocols reflect good practice and are responsive to local needs.<\/p>\r\n

TF Global Advisor:
Dr. Matthew Fell<\/h3>\r\n

Dr. Fell is the Cleft Surgeon at the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate in the UK and serves as an advisor to TF. In October 2023, he travelled with us to visit our new partner in Mahajanga, Madagascar. There, he met Naly.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

“I witnessed the benefits of TF’s approach to creating strong relationships with partners in a very challenging environment. I was most impressed with how engaged members of the entire multidisciplinary team were. Understanding local needs enables TF to personalise its approach, rather than a ‘one size fits all’ strategy. The patient visit really drove home the aim of the work.”<\/em><\/p>\r\n

\"Dr_Matthew_Fell\"<\/p>\r\n

Dr. Fell meets Naly with the TF team<\/em><\/p>\r\n

*Precious in her schoolyard with staff of our local partner in Uganda<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Investing in Comprehensive Cleft Care<\/h3>\r\n

TF is committed to investing in skilled cleft care teams to deliver safe and timely care, closer to home. We aim to promote long-term sustainable access to services and to strengthen local health systems.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Revenue & Expenses<\/th>\r\n2023<\/th>\r\n2022<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Revenue<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Grants, Donations & Other Income<\/td>\r\n$2,053,016<\/td>\r\n$2,050,543<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Expenses<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Cleft Care<\/td>\r\n$1,225,531<\/td>\r\n$1,243,678<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Collaborative Learning, Reporting & Skill-building<\/td>\r\n$617,011<\/td>\r\n$566,186<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Administration and Fundraising<\/td>\r\n$330,390<\/td>\r\n$324,907<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>\r\n$2,172,932<\/td>\r\n$2,134,770<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Net Assets<\/th>\r\n2023<\/th>\r\n2022<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Balance, Beginning of Year<\/td>\r\n$322,025<\/td>\r\n$406,252<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Change in Net Assets<\/strong><\/td>\r\n($119,916)<\/td>\r\n($84,227)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Balance, End of Year<\/strong><\/td>\r\n$202,109<\/td>\r\n$322,025<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

It’s Our Promise.<\/h3>\r\n

100% of Your Gift Supports Cleft Care<\/h2>\r\n

A private charitable foundation covers all our administrative and fundraising costs.<\/p>\r\n

Watch the video to learn more.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Donate Today <\/a> \"youtube-video-thumbnail\"<\/p>\r\n

100% of your donations
support our programs<\/h4>\r\n

\"financial-graphic-web-final\"<\/p>\r\n

Innovating
Globally<\/h2>\r\n

Speech & Surgery Collaboration<\/h4>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Speech & Surgery in East Africa<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

In October 2023, TF hosted a Speech and Surgery Collaboration Conference in Ethiopia. We brought together a select group of East African cleft surgeons,<\/strong> alongside cleft speech therapists<\/strong> – a relatively new field in the region – to explore how collaboration across disciplines leads to better speech outcomes for children.<\/p>\r\n

A surgeon in attendance reflected, “I learnt that speech therapists and cleft surgeons have to work together closely to evaluate patients with cleft palate to make good decisions for good outcomes.”<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Circle of Cleft Professionals<\/h4>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

The CoCP is a joint initiative among 11 cleft NGOs, hosted by TF. This growing worldwide network of cleft professionals seeks to: champion<\/strong> Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries (LMIC) rooted learning, facilitate<\/strong> ‘north-south’, ‘south-south’ and ‘inter-NGO’ collaboration, and amplify<\/strong> CCC tools, practical initiatives and LMIC cleft research.<\/p>\r\n

S4CCC<\/h4>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

In April 2023, the CoCP held its 3rd global virtual Solutions for Comprehensive Cleft Care Conference.<\/p>\r\n

37 cleft professionals drawn from 7 disciplines and hailing from 23 countries developed practical guideline recommendations<\/strong> to move CCC forward on:<\/p>\r\n