Delegates from more than 110 countries were
arriving in Edinburgh for an international meeting aimed at improving
the lives of people with cleft lips and palates.
Taking
place in the UK for the first time, the 14th
International Congress of Cleft Lip, Palate and Related Craniofacial Anomalies
(Cleft 2022) was taking place at the EICC.
More than 1,500 delegates were taking
part, the highest number in the event’s history, as the strong bounce back for
in-person association events continued.
The opening ceremony included a
solo singing performance by 26-year-old Rhona Christie, a PhD student and
accomplished singer, who has a cleft.
The hybrid event includes patient
and parent involvement in scientific sessions – which will agree actions aimed
at improvement patient care over the next four years.
Chair of Cleft 2022, Felicity
Vidya Mehendale, said the aim of the conference was to ‘make positive
disruptions in cleft and craniofacial care, which we believe will make
significant differences to global health and inclusivity’.
EICCs
CEO Marshall Dallas said it was testament to Edinburgh’s ‘thriving life
sciences sector’ that Cleft 2022 had attracted the highest attendance record in
its history.
EICC
is hosting a series of medical conference in 2023, including The Palliative
Care Conference, taking place in March with around 500 delegates, ITAKOM (It
Takes All Kinds of Minds) an international conference focused on the
far-reaching concept of neurodiversity, which also takes place in March 2023
with an expected 1,000 delegates, and the 15th World Congress on Endometriosis
in May which is expected to attract around 1,200 delegates.
