About Us

We are friends of the Craniofacial Centre Nepal, Janakpur.

Janakpur is situated in the south east of Nepal, with catchment area of 5 million population of Nepal and similar population of North Bihar, India.

Our vision for the centre is to improve the lives of, and create equal opportunities for people who have been born with craniofacial abnormalities who cannot access the surgery they need.

There is no formal provision or designated centre for cleft and craniofacial anomalies in south east of Nepal. Some uncoordinated surgery is carried out by untrained private practitioners, and for a few fortunate people, there may be access to services in other countries. For most this surgery is not accessible, and they live with deformities affecting facial appearance, hearing, speech and psychosocial problems. This usually means not being able to participate in the normal activities of life. Often, schooling is not possible because the family do not wish to be further stigmatised or for their child to be traumatised by public appearance. It is important that a facility such as the Craniofacial Centre is established to reduce the burden of disease – a burden on the patient, their family and the state.

The head and face are the only parts of our body we cannot hide. They convey our emotions and innermost feelings. We often judge each other on the basis of appearance, making assumptions on a whole range of issues.

People suffer the consequences of facial diseases, injuries and disfigurement every day. In Nepal oral and throat cancer is second most common cancer in all population every year. The silent epidemic of road traffic injury is the main cause in young people in Nepal of sustaining serious facial injuries. This will remain the case until crash helmets and seat belts are worn.

Not many people receive treatment for facial disfigurement, such as cleft lip and palate, due to lack of trained manpower.

Despite the severity of these issues, this remains a much neglected area of care, leaving thousands of those unfortunate enough to be affected with little hope for the future.

In Nepal not enough is known about head and facial disease, injury and deformity, their psychological and emotional impact and, critically, which treatments are most effective. The Craniofacial Centre Nepal is the only charitable hospital in Nepal solely dedicated to the reduction and management of facial injuries and diseases. It is working to take the lead in education and research to improve the physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and other craniofacial diseases

The charity’s objects (the objects) are:

To assist in the treatment and care of persons suffering from craniofacial anomalies, cleft, facial trauma, oral cancer and associated problems in particular by the provision of support to the Craniofacial Centre Nepal in Janakpur, Nepal, in particular by:

• the provision of grants to assist in the treatment and care of beneficiaries;
• the provision of education and training to persons providing services.’