Transforming Faces

Applications are now open for the CoCP's (Circle of Cleft Professionals) first ever virtual international conference 'Solutions4CCC: Responding to COVID' taking place September 17, 2020. To learn more about this global, collaborative effort among multidisciplinary Comprehensive Cleft Care leaders and their allies, visit https://solutions4ccc.com/

Excitement is growing for S4CCC: Responding to COVID taking place this September 17th! If you are a cleft professional or cleft charity leader, we invite you to subscribe for updates at https://solutions4ccc.com/ and to apply starting on August 4th. Dont miss this solution-focused discussion!

Download TF's latest Caring for Cleft episode: Completing the Circle. In this episode, we explore how the impact of cleft lip and palate at a young age has shaped the future of inspiring comprehensive cleft care professionals around the globe. Listen here: https://transformingfaces.org/caring-for-cleft/.

We know that it is a stressful time to be a parent of a child with a cleft especially if you live in a village or neighbourhood under lockdown due to #COVID19, or if you have lost your means of earning a living. Here is a quick update of how our regional partners are currently reaching out to care for children and families: https://transformingfaces.org/uncategorized/covidupdate/

Transforming Faces is a Founding Member of the Circle of Cleft Professionals (CoCP), a worldwide network of cleft professionals and cleft charity leaders with an interest in promoting Comprehensive Cleft Care (CCC) in resource-constrained contexts. This September 17th, the CoCP is proud to present Solutions4CCC: Responding to Covid, an innovative, interactive and solution-focused virtual conference. Together, with multidisciplinary CCC leaders from around the globe, we will ...work to chart a course toward ensuring that every child has access to local, timely cleft care even amidst this pandemic. Learn More https://solutions4ccc.com/

We will start shortly and welcome you to join us for a quick 30 minute Lunch & Learn celebrating TF's progress in 2019, gain new perspectives into our programming in Ethiopia, and learn more about the impact of COVID-19. Register Here: https://bit.ly/ARlunchLearn

Register now for TF's virtual Lunch & Learn: Looking Back, Moving Forward taking place tomorrow at noon (EST). Join us in celebrating TF's progress in 2019, gain new perspectives into our programming in Ethiopia, and learn more about the impact of COVID-19. Register Here: https://bit.ly/ARlunchLearn

On June 4, 2020 at 12 noon (EST.), join TFs Executive Director and Staff for a 30 minute Lunch & Learn online. Together, well celebrate the launch of TFs 2019 Annual Report, dive deeper into our programming in Ethiopia and give an exclusive update on the impact of COVID-19 worldwide. We welcome you to participate in a Q&A at the end of the session.... View event details and register for the Zoom session here: https://bit.ly/ARlunchLearn

Transforming Faces is thrilled to share our 2019 Annual Report with you. Join us as we celebrate 20 years of comprehensive cleft care thanks to the support TF's leadership, volunteers, global partners, families and donors like you. https://transformingfaces.org/2019-annual-report/

"My hope for #FaceEquality Week is that people with facial differences feel welcome to take up space, to share their thoughts and experiences, without fear of prejudice. Lets continue to create inclusive digital communities year-round!" - Rachel Winer, Communications Manager

"Children with cleft lip and palate experience discrimination daily be it at home, school or at the playground. We live in a society where we are constantly judged by our appearance. Heres hoping that #FaceEquality Week will promote acceptance and respect for all, no matter how we look," - Neeti Daftari, TF Global Initiatives Program Manager

During #FaceEquality Week, TF Program Director Abdon Aguillon's wish is "that we all think about how we practice equality and equity among those that are part of our lives, those that we know and those that we don't."

Society often tells us that we should look a certain way in order to belong. During #FaceEquality Week, lets break down the stigma together and create inclusive communities online and face to face.

TF's Executive Director, Hugh Brewster, shares his message of hope for #FaceEquality Week in alliance with Face Equality International. "One theme in TF's support of families affected by Cleft Lip and Palate is the psychosocial impact of living with cleft including experiences of discrimination and stigma. I am proud that TF is supporting #FaceEquality Week and the journey toward inclusion and acceptance for all." Join in by posting your selfie, and share what Face Equality Week means to you by using the hashtag #FaceEquality.

In April, TF became a member of Face Equality International, a world-wide alliance of thirty five NGO members that support and represent people with facial differences. Learn more about our new alliance, and join us as we celebrate #FaceEquality Week. https://bit.ly/FEIalliance

Exciting news from TFs local partner Sri Ramachandra Institute of Education & Research (SRIHER) in Chennai, India. TF celebrates the success of three SRIHER students who participated in two winning entries in the MIT COVID-19 challenge Beat the Pandemic, competing against 1500 participants from 96 countries. Their winning entries found solutions to basic issues facing those impacted by COVID-19. The two winning entries addressed the increasing demand for Personal Protecti...ve Equipment with a recyclable design, as well as the development of an at-home testing device for the virus to reduce the influx in workload to healthcare professionals. Learn More --> https://www.edexlive.com//indian-students-from-sriher-won-

Transforming Faces' local partner in Argentina, Fundación Gavina, is adapting to provide care remotely to patients and families by developing short videos. Watch below for oral health care tips with Dr. Roxana Garcia!

Thanks to the dedication of local cleft care teams who are able to work remotely, children and families with cleft lip and palate continue to receive care from the safety of their homes during isolation. Thank You ABMSS!

Staying connected is more important than ever. TF's Executive Director provides a brief update on the current impact of COVID-19. https://transformingfaces.org//a-message-from-tfs-executi/

Podcasts are a great way to keep your mind active and engaged while working from home. Subscribe to TF's Caring for Cleft, an audio series which weaves together stories of hope, progress and impact from our partners, patients and supporters from across the globe. https://transformingfaces.org/caring-for-cleft/

The launch of The Kolkata Comprehensive Cleft Care Center marks an important cleft milestone in West Bengal. In partnership with ABMSS and Shree Jain Hospital, together we are working to improve the quality of comprehensive care for children born with cleft lip and palate. Congratulations to all involved!

Our friends at Face Equality International have developed an International Media Standard on Disfigurement, providing best practices for covering disfigurement in the media! Join us in supporting the reduction of stigma around disfigurement across the globe.

We are so thankful to our supporters and partners for the lasting change they helped make for families in 2019. A few highlights this year include: - Following along with our superstar fundraiser Pete, who cycled from Cairo to Cape Town and raised over $125,000 for our work in Uganda and Ethiopia - Launching our "Caring for Cleft" podcast series (listen online if you haven't already: https://transformingfaces.org/caring-for-cleft/) ... - Celebrating the graduation of the first cohort of speech therapists trained locally in Ethiopia! This was a major milestone for the country, and would not have been in possible without the collaboration of a network of valued partners (including TAAAC, AAU:Addis Ababa University, the team at Yekatit 12 Hospital, and more). In particular, the Unifor Social Justice Fund's commitment helped us launch this new profession in Ethiopia. Earlier this year, they were even able to visit the project to witness the impact they've had firsthand. - A new partnership with Prophix, a corporation that has committed $25,000 towards providing access to comprehensive cleft care in Myanmar and Thailand And so much more! Thanks for helping us transform lives in 2019!

Wishing you a very happy holiday season from the team at Transforming Faces! Thank you for helping us transform the lives of children born with cleft lip and palate in 2019!

TF has the best supporters in the world! This holiday season, our friends at Freeman, Caro & Lands Orthodontics, Smile Aesthetics Yorkville and Johnstone Periodontics are running a #DonateASmile2019 campaign to support our work with children born with cleft lip and palate. For every post shared with the #DonateASmile2019 hashtag, they are donating $3 in support of our comprehensive cleft care programs. Learn more below! Spread joy this holiday season... by donating something that makes everyone happy...your SMILE!! We are all about creating beautiful smiles and now, YOU can as well. Share your smile in a post or story and hashtag #donateasmile2019, tag @freeman.caro.lands.ortho, @smileaestheticsyorkville @johnstone_periodontist and we will donate $3 to Transforming Faces. This organization provides comprehensive care for children with cleft lip and palate which affects 1 in every 700 people. Smiling is contagious and now you can help create a smile for someone who never had the chance. If you are a patient of ours, share your smile and we will donate double! Lets help everyone smile this winter! An awesome project with Smile Aesthetics Yorkville, Johnstone Periodontics and Freeman, Caro & Lands Orthodontics with the support of @thedentalwhisperer and @ivoclarvivadent_na! Post by Christmas Eve and we will donate up to $4500! #donateasmile2019 #shareasmile #smile #giveback #smiling #holidayseason #donation #donating #torontoig #toronto #torontoigers #igtoronto #transformingfaces #cleftlip #cleftpalate #torontodental #torontodentistry #torontodentalspecialists

We love hearing stories of how our committed, highly skilled partners are advocating for patients born with cleft and sharing their expertise with other healthcare professionals in their own community! Recently, the President of Fundación Gavina (TF's Argentinian partner), María Gabriela Reinoso facilitated a workshop on how to effectively deliver speech therapy to children born with cleft lip and palate. The workshop was delivered to 14 speech professionals northern Argenti...na, who have now been trained on working with children born with cleft! But that's not all. In November and December, the dental team at Fundacion Gavina will also facilitate workshops on pre-surgical care (including NAM) to dentists and lab technicians in public hospitals in the region. We are so proud of our partners' commitment to advancing excellent cleft care in their communities!

Last week, several TF partners participated in the Asian Pacific Cleft Congress in Northern Thailand. This conference showcases the continued progress being made towards comprehensive cleft care in the region, and TF is proud of the leadership among our friends and partners in driving local, long-term cleft care forward. Congratulations to Khon Kaen University on successfully hosting this prestigious event! https://transformingfaces.org//celebrating-progress-at-th/

Did you know that TF has our very own podcast series? Caring for Cleft tells stories of comprehensive cleft care around the world, featuring some of our amazing partners and supporters. In our latest episode, we hear from two cleft surgeons - Dr. Eshete from Ethiopia and Dr. Galiwango from Uganda - and discuss the transformation of cleft care in East Africa over the past 20 years. Listen online at: https://transformingfaces.org/caring-for-cleft/... Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College CoRSU. For people with Disability

Transforming Faces is proud to partner with the incredible team at CoRSU. For people with Disability. Through strong local partnerships like these, we are able to deliver comprehensive cleft care and transform the lives of children born with cleft lip and palate in Uganda.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends in Canada this weekend! We are so thankful for our incredible supporters - who help us transform the lives of children and families (like these!) all over the world.

A few members of the TF staff and Board team are visiting with partners in India this week. We are proud to work with dedicated partners like ABMSS to transform the lives of children born with cleft!

DID YOU KNOW: Children born with cleft often have more dental problems than other kids including small teeth, missing teeth, extra teeth or teeth out of position. Cavities can be a problem too. As a result, dental and orthodontic care are an essential part of comprehensive cleft care! Agnes is supported by our Thai partner, and has access to the dental and orthodontic care she needs to fully overcome the limitations of her cleft. Her bright smile says it all!

This summer, TF was fortunate to have the support of an amazing office volunteer! As a second year student studying International Development, Olivia was eager to jump right in and see what working for an international non-profit was all about. In the article below, she reflects on her experiences and learnings. We are so grateful for her hard work and contribution towards our mission of delivering comprehensive cleft care for children and families. Wishing you all the best as you head back to school, Olivia! https://transformingfaces.org//meet-tfs-summer-volunteer-/

A simple surgery worked wonders for the family, and brought joy to their world," our partner in India shares. "We could give this family a reason to smile, which keeps motivating us to go that extra mile for our patients. https://transformingfaces.org//how-krishna-shivalis-lives/

Partnership is at the heart of what we do! TF works closely alongside our partners around the world to help deliver comprehensive care to children and families. TF Program Manager, Courtney had this to share about her recent visit with partners and families in Myanmar: "Talking with parents is always a highlight of my trips to Myanmar. Every parent's cleft care journey is different, but their hopes for their children are so often the same: the chance to lead a full, healthy life. TF's supporters are making this possible by ensuring these families have access to comprehensive cleft services close to home."

When a baby is born with a cleft, the parents often become their first and greatest advocates. Eight-year-old Tiago's mom is no exception! Learn how she (and our amazing Argentinian partner) have been Tiago's champions from the day he was born! https://transformingfaces.org/stories/tiagos-transformation/