Quincy In honor of National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month, the first Blessing Health System Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Cleft and Craniofacial Anomalies Patient Picnic is open to anybody who has received treatment for cleft lip or palate or other craniofacial abnormalities.
On Saturday, July 12, from noon to two p.m., patients and their families will have a picnic in Quincy’s All-American Park beside the river. All ages can enjoy family-friendly activities during the picnic, such as face painting, games, and more. At 1 p.m., lunch will be provided.
The event is free. Although not necessary, reservations are welcomed. In order to secure a spot at the picnic, visit events/blessinghealth.org.
The skull and face bones are malformed in craniofacial diseases. A cleft palate is an opening or split in the roof of the mouth, and a cleft lip is an opening or split in the upper lip. They arise when an unborn baby’s developing face features fail to fully seal. One or both cleft lip and palate may develop. About 1 in every 1,700 newborns born in the US has a cleft issue, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Under the direction of Dr. Arshad Muzaffar, Blessing Health System is one of just 200 recognized care teams in the US and Canada, and the only one in the area to get Cleft Palate Team designation from the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association for fulfilling its requirements.
Yale University School of Medicine is where Dr. Muzaffar obtained his medical degree. He graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center with a residency in plastic surgery. He later completed two fellowships, one at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington in pediatric and craniofacial plastic surgery. The American Board of Plastic Surgery has double board certified him.
