Tribune News Network
Doha
The representation office of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) in the West Bank and Jerusalem has concluded a specialised cleft lip/palate surgical project in Hebron, the West Bank, in cooperation with Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), at a total cost of QR267,492.
The purpose of the project is to support the West Bank hospitals and strengthen their surgical capabilities to provide quality healthcare services for children with cleft lip/palate, by providing the Red Crescent Specialised Hospital for Children and Maternity in Hebron with the needed medical equipment for such operations, serving as a permanent treatment haven for children in need of such advanced services, in line with the health development goals of QRCS and PRCS.
Under an agreement with PRCS, the project was announced and applications were sorted by the hospital’s medical committee to select 55 beneficiaries born with cleft lip/palate deformities.
One of the beneficiaries is Khaled, who underwent a dual procedure.
"When my first son Khaled was born, it was not shocking to see him with a cleft lip, as I had the same problem when I was young,” said his father. "He needed a surgery, but the cost was too much to pay. Alhamdulillah, with QRCS’s support, the two operations were successfully performed, and Khaled is improving. Now, his face looks normal, and there is no mark on the lip.He eats and drinks normally. I cannot express how I felt when I saw him after the operation.Ican see a hopeful future for my son.”
Another beneficiary is Omair, whose family was too poor to pay for the cost of surgery.
His mother said, "I felt helpless, but we kept visiting hospitals and centres. One day, I saw the advertisement of free cleft lip/palate surgeries supported by QRCS. You cannot imagine how much hope and relief this brought to my heart! Thanks to the surgery, my son has become a normal child like any other one. When I see him grow up day by day, it feel like in a dream.”
The mother of Misk, who was born with a cleft lip, told her story: "When my daughter was born, I was very happy, but her cleft lip was a shock to me. My husband and I were too worried about her adult life and how she will be socially accepted. We knew the only solution was surgery, but we could not afford it.
"At this critical point, we heard about QRCS’s surgical project for children with cleft lip. Thank God, the doctors understood our concerns. After the operation, we saw Misk for the first time without facial deformity, and it was a moment we will never forget. Our happiness was beyond description. Now, we have a great hope that our daughter will grow up and achieve all her personal and professional dreams.”