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What We Do

CURE has a comprehensive approach to providing surgical care for children with disabilities. We support their families and strengthen the capacity of local church and healthcare systems in the countries we serve.

CURE Children’s Hospitals

CURE International is a global nonprofit network of children’s hospitals providing surgical care in a compassionate, gospel-centered environment. Services are provided at no cost to families because of the generosity of donors and partners like you.

About CURE

Motivated by our Christian identity, CURE operates a global network of children’s hospitals that provides life-changing surgical care to children living with disabilities.

CURE Overview

CURE International is a global nonprofit network of children’s hospitals providing surgical care in a compassionate, gospel-centered environment. Services are provided at no cost to families because of the generosity of donors and partners like you.

Overview

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Cleft Lip

Cleft lip is a congenital condition characterized by an opening or split on the upper lip. There are two kinds of cleft lip: unilateral, when an opening or split occurs on only one side of the mouth, and bilateral, when the opening or separation occurs on both sides.

 

What issues do children with a cleft lip face?

Without medical intervention, children with cleft lip can face a lifetime of disability.

Stigma

Children with cleft lip often experience stigma and discrimination, leading to poor self-confidence and isolation.

Vulnerable to Infections

Children with cleft lip may be more prone to infections, and difficulty eating leads to frequent illness–especially in infants.

Communication Challenges

Cleft lip can cause speech delays that hinder a child’s ability to communicate, preventing them from connecting with others.

Treatment

While the healing process after a cleft surgery isn’t long, the long-term healing and follow-up care continue throughout a child’s life.

Doctors monitor the child for any changes in their speech that might require therapy or additional surgery. As children grow, they might need orthodontic work. Regular check-ups and possible surgeries can continue until adulthood.

Treatment for cleft lip is available at these CURE hospitals:

Before
After

CUREkid Spotlight, Cleft Lip

Zane | Tebow CURE Philippines

Before Surgery

When Zane was born with a cleft lip, his parents worried about the challenges he would likely face as a result—difficulty eating and exclusion from community life. 

After Surgery

Tebow CURE surgeons repaired Zane’s lip, and the ministry team encouraged his parents through prayer and counseling. Today, Zane is happy and smiling!

 

Help More Kids

 

“A child with a cleft lip doesn’t have any functional problems, but it’s a terrible facial disfigurement. So, that will have a big effect on the child and their family as they grow up. Every parent wants their child to be perfect and beautiful, and it can have a devastating effect when they have a child who’s born with a cleft lip and palate, to the point that some of them may even abandon their child. Often the child doesn’t end up finishing their education because they get teased or bullied at school.”

— Dr. Andrew Hodges, Lead Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon – CURE International