Our Research Vision

GHACLIP mission is to bridge the gap in cleft care and knowledge. Our research is already improving the treatment and outcomes for children born with a cleft, so that they can lead happy and fulfilling lives. We do this by drawing on some of the world’s best clinicians in cleft care, in collaboration with cleft centres around Ghana.

Our research strategy focuses on three key areas:

1. To better understand the likely causes of clefts;

2. To find new and kinder treatments and surgery to repair the cleft;

3. To improve the speech of children who have had cleft palate repairs.

A cleft lip and/or palate continues to be the most common birth defect. Children’s physical and emotional well-being continues to be at risk and the cost to the NHS for a child’s lifetime care is considerable.

Despite our successes, there is still much uncertainty about the best techniques for surgical treatment of clefts and the results are far from perfect. There are also limited research funds available from the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry. GHACLIPs research has not been a priority because it is not seen as life threatening. It is, however, critical to quality of life, so charitable support has been and remains crucial to progressing research to help cleft patients.

By funding research, we are seeking to provide answers to currently unanswered questions, such as:

• Can we identify which genes have a role in clefts?

• Why do so many cleft palate operations fail to produce a fully functional palate?

• Does the technique of repair of the muscles reduce hearing loss in children with clefts?

• Why do so many cleft palate operations fail to produce normal speech?

• What are the dental anomalies in different types of clefts and how can they best be treated?

Further insights and better understanding will be critical if surgeons, speech therapists and other medical professionals are to provide improved, long-term treatment and care for all people born with clefts.

We are now reaching out to our supporters and beyond to fund further research to change these children’s lives – now and long into the future.