ECO has been invited to develop ties with a a patient led cleft group in India, SIRAT (Cleft Warriors).  The group has a young dynamic membership and are providing support to new families, those with clefts seeking support with aspects of cleft care beyond surgery (speech, orthodontics) and in developing confidence buildiing strategies.  It is also keen to rasie awareness of cleft lip and palate at community level.  They work with local clinicians as well as other NGOs.

ECO and SIRAT established a dialgoue last year with a view to bringing some of the training we have devleoped in Europe to an Indian audience.  Courses that might be most relevant  include

• early cleft care and nursing
• basic speech and resilience training
• training focusing on the challenges faced by individuals with a visible difference and how these can be overcome
• parent support group training, including basic counselling skills for parents to support other parents in a structured way

Our next step is to organise an exploraty trip to India to listen to the specific needs and challenges facing people born with clefts in India and adapt the above for the approaiate delivery in a local setting.  The key attraction of working with SIRAT is that like ECO they place emphasis on patient priorities and address areas beyond surgery and indeed beyond the wals of the hospital.   If you want more infromation on this emerging collaboration and would like to suport the initiative click this link.

In the picture you can see Annend Hardoar, ECO’s Chair, manning a stand promoting this collaboration at the Abhimanch theature festival in the Hague, Nethernads, in April 2025.