Honored for Its Work for Young Patients

LANSING, MI – The Sparrow Multidisciplinary Cleft Lip & Palate Clinic has received national recognition with a listing as an approved team by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. The listing means the Sparrow Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Team meets the gold standard for cleft care.

The clinic is the only practice in Mid-Michigan to receive such recognition, a reflection of the personal commitment of Caregivers from Sparrow and the Michigan State University HealthTeam to this special population of pediatric Patients. The designation means the clinic is certified for five years as a Cross-Specialty Team and will be listed on cleftline.org for Patients searching for accredited practices.

Cleft lip and palate occur in about one of every 1,000 live births and can affect speech and other functions. The clinic, which is located in the Sparrow Professional Building in Lansing, uses a team approach to respond to the needs of Patients and families, providing expertise from social workers, dietitians, speech pathologists, psychologists, dentists, orthodontists, Nursing, and the many Physicians who volunteer their time.

The recognition effort was led by Stephanie Bray, M.D., an MSU Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgeon, who works with children of all ages with cleft craniofacial conditions, and Layna Korcal, RN, CPN, a Sparrow Caregiver and the Cleft Palate Clinic Coordinator, who is instrumental in ensuring the team’s recommendations are implemented and conveyed to families.

“These surgeries can completely change the way these kids interact with the world around them,” Dr. Bray said.

Care for these children continues throughout their childhood, with most requiring an average of four to five surgeries.

For more information about the clinic, speak to your child’s pediatrician or contact Layna Korcal, RN, CPN, at 517.364.5415.       

for Health. for Care. for Life.                                                   

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Sparrow, a member of the prestigious Mayo Clinic Care Network, is Mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Charlotte, St. Johns, Ionia and Carson City, as well as Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group and the Michigan Athletic Club. Sparrow has a partnership with Michigan Health at the Sparrow Children’s Center and is affiliated with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 Caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and Patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.