Bundoora hospital’s gift to little boy from Papua New Guinea

It’s an operation normally done in Australia when children are one-year-old. But this boy has had to live with facial differences for 10 years. Here’s why a medical team volunteered their time to help.

The surgical team with Robinson. Picture: Justin Clark

A cleft lip is not an uncommon birth defect.

In Australia most cleft lips and cleft palates are corrected by the time a child is one.

But the emotional scars of having to live with such a birth defect for 10 years, in a community where facial abnormalities are a sign of a person being possessed, are hard to hide.

Late last month a team of surgeons, technicians, nurses and anaesthetists at Bundoora’s Northpark Private Hospital gave up their time to change the life of Robinson Yabiyabi.

The 10-year-old from Papua New Guinea underwent surgery to fix a severe cleft lip and in two to three months he will undergo further pro-bono surgery to correct a cleft palate.

Northpark plastic surgeon David Chong said he felt “very blessed” to be able to change the lives of children with facial abnormalities.

“I think a lot of the time these children are ostracised because of the way they look,” he said.

“In some countries facial differences can be a sign you are possessed, or your parents did something bad.

Robinson, 10, before having surgery. Picture: Justin Clark

“So being able to restore their life back to normality is huge.”

Mr Chong said it could be difficult to understand Robinson’s speech because of the amount of air being let into his mouth by the cleft palate.

MORE NEWS: MELBOURNE'S TOP 10 HAIRDRESSERS IN THE NORTH

DOCTOR'S HARROWING TALE OF CERVICAL CANCER IN THE PACIFIC

THE 93-YEAR-OLD MELBOURNE ARTIST DEBUTING HER LIFE'S WORK

Children First Foundation program co-ordinator Susan Whitehead said the charity assisted Robinson’s surgery as part of a bigger program to provide life-changing surgery to children in disadvantaged countries.

“He’s a really charming and helpful little boy who is full of energy and like all kids he deserves a chance to live his best life,” Ms Whitehead said.

Robinson is now recovering at the foundation’s retreat in Kilmore, she said.

His parents were unable to travel with him to Australia because they have a large family to care for.

Mr Chong said Robinson’s operation would normally cost about $10,000, however a price could not be put on the change it would make to his life.