Dr Rob Dunn is cycling 100 km on 7th October 2018 to raise money for cleft repair operations for children in Bangladesh.
More than 5,000 children are born with a cleft lip or cleft palate in Bangladesh each year. Cleft repair surgery is not covered under the Bangladesh health care system, and the cost of surgery out of reach of most Bangladeshi families.
Operation Cleft is a unique Rotary project that provides free cleft repair surgery to underprivileged children in Bangladesh. Operation Cleft began in 2005 as a project of the Rotary Club of Box Hill Central and is still supported by them.
Unfortunately, these children are shunned by society, discouraged to attend school and generally excluded because of the way they look. Children with cleft problems have difficulty feeding as babies and difficulty eating when older, risking malnutrition. They are susceptible to ear, nose and throat infections. Without treatment children develop nasal speech patterns that are difficult to change, so treatment is best done while children are young.
Operation Cleft Australia Foundation depends entirely on community donations to achieve 1,000 operations each year. Operation Cleft also speech therapy programs following cleft repair surgery.
Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible in Australia. To sponsor Dr Dunn’s cycling challenge online go to www.operationcleft.org.au. Donation tins are also available at Blackburn Clinic reception.
