Changing Lives

A team of specialists with the Ghana Cleft Foundation from Kumasi came up to the Northern Region and spent the entire week at Tamale Teaching Hospital performing cleft lip and cleft palate surgery. It was a wonderful opportunity for Jim to scrub in with these dedicated and skillful Ghanaian physicians. Over 30 patients (children of various ages and some adults as well) had their lives virtually changed since individuals with this deformity can easily be considered outcasts in society here. Word about the successful surgeries began to spread into the villages and important, too, was the foundation's "no fee" policy if the patient or his/her family did not have the government health insurance. Without a doubt, this medical team's next visit will be eagerly anticipated and most welcome.