Services
As part of our five year Strategy review in 2008, CLAPA made a commitment to extend its services for adults born with cleft lip &/or palate. Prior to the reorganisation of cleft services many adults had received substandard surgical care and emotional support. Many felt that they had been under represented by CLAPA in the past and that adults had specific needs/issues which needed to be discussed and addressed. Some thought that CLAPA had been targeting families with young children and that adults had been sidelined.
On the strength of feed back from the CLAPA Conference 2009 we organised a Focus Group in April 2010. It was very well attended and eleven adults from all over the UK came along to discuss their ideas for how CLAPA could extend its services to adults and what issues needed to be addressed by both CLAPA and the NHS. The conclusions drawn were that adults wanted:
- To take an active part in shaping the future of the services available to them.
- To proactively generate ideas and form action plans for the Council.
- To be the voice of adults born with cleft lip and/or palate and inform CLAPA of issues we should be addressing.
- To help provide a regional presence to deliver CLAPA’s services effectively.
The Council was established in September 2010 and currently has nine members. If you are interested in joining the council and would like to be the ‘voice’ of adults born with a cleft contact sue.carroll@clapa.com or call 0207 833 4883 for more information. Alternatively you can download an application form from www.clapa.com/adults/article/935/.
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David Wheeler
David (44) was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate. As well as setting up Young CLAPA in Merseyside, to give support to teenagers and young people with clefts, he has also written several articles for Left Clip magazine, and was instrumental in creating Left Clip 3 which was an online forum for adults with cleft lip and/or palate. He is a keen pianist and accompanist, working with amateur, semi professional and professional singers. He also enjoys teaching.
Location: Warrington E: -
Emma Wick
Emma (21) was born with a cleft palate and Pierre Robin Sequence. She is a 3rd year psychology student at the University of Liverpool. She chose to join the Adults Council because she would like to play a role in helping other adults become aware of what treatment and support is available to them from either the NHS or CLAPA, a charity close to her heart.
Location: Liverpool E: -
Saffwaan Bham
Saffwaan (30) is from Manchester. He has come to CLAPA with a fresh face, as he had never heard of CLAPA until his most recent round of treatment for this cleft lip and palate. Being from an ethnic minority he feels that he can help others from ethic groups with cleft lip and palate and also provide insight into his experiences as an adult undergoing treatment. Saff works as a Business Analyst and Web Designer; his hobbies and passions range from exotic pets (marine fish and parrots) to anything technological or scientific.
Location: Manchester E:
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Elizabeth Crabb
Libby (39) was born with a left side unilateral cleft lip and palate. She wants to share her experiences with others and raise awareness of CLAPA and all of the services it provides.
Location: Ayr E: -
Jon Clarke - Chair
Jon Clarke (35) lives in Glasgow. He is an adult CLAPA member, and his mother was at the inaugural meeting of CLAPA over 30 years ago. Jon joined the CLAPA Adults Council because he felt that the needs of adults with clefts need to be understood and addressed. He works as an Event Producer, and has plenty of hobbies including drumming, enjoying music festivals and getting out into the countryside.
Location: Glasgow E:
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Amanda Bates
Amanda Bates (33) lives in Canterbury. She was keen to join the Adults Council as she feels it is important to promote the voice of adults with clefts, as well as raising awareness of the condition and any associated issues. Amanda works and studies at the University of Kent and enjoys dancing, socialising, reading, and venturing into the great outdoors!
Location: Canterbury, Kent E: -
Tara Williams-Kofoworade
Tara (21) was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate. She has just finished all the stages of reconstructive treatment and now feels ready to be involved in helping CLAPA's support services. She says "Joining the Adult Council is an opportunity for me to put my words into action and add my bit to the team, which i am very excited about".
Location: South London E:
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Melanie Spencer - Secretary
Mel lives in Oxford and was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Mel joined the CLAPA Adults Council because she wanted to help people struggling with self-esteem issues believe that anything is possible. She is an aspiring singer who has performed on national radio and in concerts around the UK, despite doctors believing she might never be able to talk properly.
Location: Oxford E:
