Over the past year, the St Joseph Mercy Hospital Wishbone Project conducted 91 surgeries, including cleft lip and palates, among other surgeries, and a total of 260 surgeries since 2004.
According to the Annual Report October 2006-2007, there were 11 cleft lip, 16 cleft palates and 64 other surgeries for the period under review.
Chief Executive Officer Sr Sheila Walsh, RSM commented in the report that, “About half of the surgeries performed are for cysts, tumours, fractures, deformed ears, noses, lips and dangerously deformed and misplaced teeth.
“Children born with cleft lips and palates often suffer from nutrition problems, frequent respiratory infections and the emotional distress of looking and sounding ‘different’. They are often harassed and mistreated by play and schoolmates.”
The goal, according to the CEO is to, “repair every cleft lip and palate in Guyana.”
Some of the stories of patients that have received treatment include the story of Adelcia.
Adelcia was described as a very shy person, and would usually communicate with smiles and warm gestures. She went to the programme for a tumour that was growing on her jaw.
Her mother said that sometimes she did not want to go to school because she was afraid that the other students would make fun of her appearance.
Another story is of Sarah. Sarah was described as a charming and outgoing child. She went to the hospital to have her cleft lip repaired and now she wears a smile. Her mother told the hospital, according to the report, that she was thankful that her daughter was given the opportunity to smile and laugh, like everyone else.
The oldest patient with a cleft lip repair, noted the report was a 25-year-old male, father of three children, living deep in the Northwest interior. The oldest patient with repair of both palate and lip was a 23-year-old mother, also from the interior. Both individuals learnt of the programme by a missionary team working in the area.
