MAKE A DIFFERENCE: HELP PEOPLE WITH CLEFT LIP AND PALATE
PURPLE LEVEL | PRIMARY 4 STUDENTS
Campaign by: Andrew, Archie, April, Caitlin, Enoch, Evangeline, Isabelle, Jake, Katrina, Kyle, Saia, Sen, Tia and Veronica
WHO WE ARE
We are students who attend JEMS Character Academy and we are in Purple Level. This year, we have been learning to grow in our empathy and compassion for people with Cleft Lip and Plate in our community.
We hope you will enjoy our website, and grow in your compassion towards people who are in need too!
The more we understand, the more we can be compassionate!
From: Katrina, Isabelle, Veronica, Jake, Kyle, Enoch, Evangeline, Saia, Sen, Caitlin, Archie, Andrew, Tia, and April
WHAT WE LEARNT
This year we learnt about Cleft Lip and Palate. Cleft Lip and Palate is a medical condition where a baby is born with either a split lip (Cleft Lip); or an opening in the roof of the mouth (Cleft Palate); or both. Cleft Lip occurs in 1 to 2 births per 1000 births, and is most common in Native American and Asian children.
WHY WE CARE
Children with Cleft Lip and Palate face many needs and challenges that typical children may not think about. For example, those with Cleft Lip and Palate often have difficulty with eating and drinking, producing sounds and words, frequent ear infections, and in developing healthy peer relationships.
Having Empathy and Compassion for those with Cleft Lip and Palate means being able to step into their shoes and trying to understand how they might feel; then choosing to do something about it.
From our students:
"I would like to not have CLP in the first place, but I can show empathy by treating those with CLP the same way as I treat others." -Kyle
"If somebody were to treat me differently based on my appearance, I would feel lonely and left out. I'd want people to be loving and caring." -Evangeline
"I would treat them [those with Cleft Lip and Palate] like my friend, I wouldn't laugh at them." -Veronica
"I'd want to be friends with them and stand up for them." -Sen
"I would try my best to help them be confident in themselves, and feel better." -Archie
OUR SOLUTION
Luckily, Cleft Lip and Palate is a very treatable condition, and can be easily fixed through surgery. Babies can receive surgery between 1 and 15 months of age, and can undergo follow-up surgeries if needed.
After surgery, speech therapy is often the next step in recovery. Patients will usually see speech therapists to help them with producing speech, sounds, and overall pronunciation.
Perhaps most importantly, treating those with Cleft Lip and Palate with respect and dignity as with any other person can help them build their confidence and sense of belonging.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
1
Get Informed
Learn more about Cleft Lip and palate by reading through our website.
2
Build Relationship
If you you see someone with Cleft Lip and Palate, get to know them and grow in empathy for them.
3
Share What You Have
Donate money towards projects that really focus on helping those with Cleft Lip and Palate in our community, like HKACLP (see below).
4
Inform Others
Help us raise more awareness by
informing more
people about Cleft Lip and Palate. Help us
put compassion into action!
HKACLP
JEMS Character Academy has partnered with the charity, Hong Kong Association for Cleft Lip and Palate to teach children to have more empathy and compassion towards those with Cleft Lip and Palate our community. HKACLP's mission is to support and build a network of Cleft Lip and Palate patients and families through providing heath services such as speech therapy and emotional counselling, organising educational talks, workshops and more.
OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL
We want to raise $10,000 HKD to help those with Cleft Lip and Palate in our community. We will then use this money to support HKACLP in their efforts to provide necessary health services to those with Cleft Lip and Palate, build familial and community support networks, and educate the public.
Scan this QR code or go to https://www.simplygiving.com/jems-p4 to help fundraise for this charity!
