A foundation created by Chinese pop diva Faye Wong and her film
star husband Li Yapeng was launched in Beijing Tuesday to help
children born with cleft palates.
Nian Ran Angel Foundation, named for Li's daughter, will help
children under 14 years old. The foundation was launched after Wong
and Li's five-month-old daughter Li Nian recovered from plastic
surgery for her cleft palate.
The couple donated one million yuan (US$ 125,000) to start the
foundation in collaboration with the Red Cross Society of China
(RCSC). Donations to the foundation will be encouraged.
According to the RCSC, guardians of children that meet the
foundation's criteria can apply to the foundation for assistance.
Further information for potential applicants is available on the
RCSC website.
Harelips, which are often associated with cleft palates, are a
common congenital malformation. China has 2.4 million children born
with cleft palates, government statistics show.
According to the RSCS, the applicants can download an
application form from the above-mentioned websites and submit it to
the Red Cross Society at or above the county's level. Then the
local Red Cross Society will send the forms of candidates to the
RCSC.
Later, the appointed hospitals by the foundation will write
plastic surgery plans for the qualified candidates after a thorough
check-up.
Finally, the foundation will select the children and decide the
amount of financial aid given to each child.
The final selected children's name will be publicized on the
RCSC website and the selected children will undergo the surgery at
the hospitals appointed by the foundation.
Harelips, which are often associated with cleft palates, are a
common congenital malformation. According to government statistics,
China has 2.4 million children born with cleft palates.
(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2006)