SHILLONG: Topcem Cement, a leading cement manufacturing company of Northeast India, has partnered with Mission Smile, a Government registered Medical Charitable Trust, to provide Free Cleft Lip and Palate surgeries for 25 marginalized and underprivileged children from Meghalaya with craniofacial deformities as a part of their social responsibility programme.

The Free Cleft Lip and Palate surgeries will be performed at the Mission Smile Comprehensive Cleft Lip Centre headquartered at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital, Guwahati under the supervision of expertise doctors.

Apart from the cleft surgeries, Mission Smile will also offer other allied support services to the patients such as Comprehensive medical evaluation, Reconstructive surgery which includes surgery, medicine, test and nursing. Child Life Counselling, Dentistry, Speech Therapy, Nutritional counselling and monitoring to the child patients.

“Every mission motivates us to start afresh. We have seen the impact and transformation in children and their parents once they receive cleft surgery in the last two camps. We are hence committed to extending this support by funding 25 nos. more surgeries this year in Meghalaya,” said Dr Anil Kapur, President, sales and marketing, Meghalaya Cements Ltd.

He further said: “Cleft treatment not only changes the life of the child, but also boosts their confidence and self-esteem to lead a more full and productive life.”

Dipul Malakar, assistant general manager-Mission Smile, said: “We are thankful to Topcem for their continuous support in our endeavor for making a cleft free North East India.”

Topcem Cement and Mission Smile – an FCRA approved and Govt. registered Medical Charitable Trust dedicated to providing free life changing cleft care and surgeries for children born with Cleft lip, Cleft palate and other facial deformities, are working together since 2018 to support the mission of making North east India cleft free.

Till date more than 100 surgeries have been completed under this programme.

Mission Smile works in conjunction with Government of Meghalaya officials to screen and identify persons who require cleft surgeries and Topcem Cement feels proud in extending their helping hand in bringing back smiles to the faces of these little children and their families through this noble initiative.

Topcem Cement and Mission Smile requested the Media for active support in creating awareness on cleft in every nook and corner of the North East India and for more participation from the corporates to come forward and support for making North East Cleft free.