European Congress of the European Network of Cleft Support Organisations
Bruges, Belgium, 7-8 October 2005
I was delighted to represent our Association at this year’s European Congress of the European Network of Cleft Support Organisations held in Bruges, Belgium, from 7-8 October. Representatives were also present from the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and of course our hosts, Belgium. This is the Association’s second year attending the European Congress.
Friday was given over to a symposium on cleft rhinoplasty where a number of surgeons enlightened the audience on different surgical approaches. Saturday’s programme focused directly on the role of the various European support organisations and how we could work together to better the medical care and support available throughout the whole of Europe. It is well for us to remember that the very good level of care and support available here and in a number of our European neighbours is not replicated in all European countries, not to mention further afield. So with an equal measure of goodwill and effort our Association may be able to improve, in co-operation with other European cleft organisations, the lot of those less fortunate throughout the wider continent. With this in mind, it was agreed that a number of areas where our joint efforts could be of benefit would be identified and agreement reached on a strategy for delivering on an agreed plan of action. I would therefore hope that in twelve months time I can report in our newsletter some developments and indeed progress in this area.
The Congress was also addressed by Dr. Nichola Rumsey from the University of Bristol on the topic of psychological adjustment amongst affected teenagers of facial disfigurement.
The Associations have also agreed to make available to each other articles for publication in our respective newsletters informing and enlightening our various readerships of the matter of cleft care in the various European countries.
Finnish Ties
Following last year’s Congress in London, you will also be pleased to know that this Association formed close links with the Finnish support group SUHUPO ry, and has explored ways of forging close ties between our respective organisations. One of the ideas to develop out of our close association with the Finnish support group was a ‘pen-pal’ system. See the article on our pen-pal scheme in this current Issue.
I also had the pleasure of visiting Helsinki in May as the guest of the Finnish Association. This was a return visit; the Finnish Chairperson was our guest at our October’04 Information Evening. There she spoke on cleft treatment in Scandinavia and on her experience as a parent of a little boy born with a cleft. She also visited the cleft treatment centre in the Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street. On my visit I was able to visit the Helsinki Treatment Centre where I got an insight into treatment in Finland. The most interesting observation I have to make is that cleft treatment in Finland is delivered in one hospital in Helsinki right from birth through the teenage years until treatment is completed. So there is no switch from a ‘children’s’ hospital to an ‘adult’ hospital at any point, there is continuity of care in the one centre.
It is always great to meet our European colleagues and compare notes. Our Association has long had regular contact with CLAPA UK, and it is wonderful now to see this contact being extended to our other European neighbours. May it long continue.
Eddie Byrne
