We want to wish Noel Conway all the best when he runs the Dublin City marathon in aid of CLAPAI. This year the marathon is expected to reach a record number of participants  – 10,000! Noel has been inspired to fund raise for the Association by his baby niece Ellie. We’d like to thank Noel for his time and effort. You might say he is one in ten thousand!

Traditionally children that have their first surgeries in OLHSC Crumlin move to St James for their bone grafts. From 2006, bone graft surgery will revert to Crumlin. The Association is very pleased with this move, as we believe wherever possible children should receive medical treatment in a children’s medical environment.

In October 2005 Laura, Joe, Niamh & Andrew made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro. and in doing so they raised €4,000 for the Association! Here is Laura’s account of the journey.Kilimanjaro – The SummitBy Laura FingletonOn the 20th of October last, myself, Niamh, Joe and Andrew set off on what was to be one of the most physically challenging experiences each of us had ever undertaken.

Our Information Evening (17th November) was attended by some 30 people who took a very encouraging interest in the speakers’ presentations. First up was David Orr, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, who spoke of his involvement in an Operation Smile project twelve months previously in Kenya. Next up was Julie Young, Speech and Language Therapist, who spoke on feeding matters. Questions from the audience indicated a concern about the quality of advice an...

Congratulations to Ronan Ely who not only completed the Dublin City Marathon in 4 hours 30 mins, sale he raised €2, prostate 700 for the Association. Ronan, who is studying Business Studies in Cork Institute Technology, travelled to our recent Information Evening to present the Association with a cheque for €2,400.

Many of our readers will know Ena Lynn from her work with the Health Research Board. For those of you that don’t, Ena has had the extraordinary job of collecting clinical data and samples from cleft affected families all over Ireland. When she started three years ago, there were 112 samples (collected with the help of the Association). Thankfully at the time there were enough samples to help researchers secure a fund for further work.