ECO - European Cleft Organisation

The European Cleft Organisation was established in July 2007 and is based in The Hague, Netherlands.  It was set up as a pan European partnership between service users (patients and parents) and health professionals involved with their care. This is reflected in the membership of the board which comprises patient representatives and health professionals in equal measure. Central to the organisation’s philosophy is that patients and user groups must work in partnership with health professionals, throughout Europe, to enhance cleft care. The European Cleft Organisation strives to ensure that every child in Europe has access to high quality cleft treatment, care and support. Working through a network of health professionals and patient groups, it provides information for new families, promotes best practice guidelines for health professionals, lobby governments and the EU for minimum standards of care.

Type: Pan-European disease-specific organisation

Disease area: cleft lip and cleft palate. Approximately one in seven hundred children throughout Europe are born with cleft lip and/or cleft lip and palate, yet it remains little understood.  The condition is completely treatable, and with the right medical care and social support, children born with clefts can go on to achieve the same as any other child. Yet access to good treatment varies enormously throughout Europe, meaning that many children born with clefts are never given the opportunity to realise their full potential.

Representative: Mr. Gareth Davies

Address:

Verrijn Stuartlaan 28
2288 EL Rijswijk ZH,
The Netherlands

Contacts:

E-mail: info@europeancleft.org

For more information, please visit ECO's website: www.europeancleft.org