# UK surgeons deliver transformative cleft care to 122 patients in Peru **Published:** 2026-07-13T15:11:30.000Z **Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/uk-healthcare/uk-doctors-provide-life-changing-cleft-care-peru) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-surgeons-deliver-transformative-cleft-care-to-122-patients-in-peru A team of clinicians from the University of Kentucky helped provide surgical and comprehensive care to 122 patients with cleft lip and palate conditions during a recent mission to Peru, where access to specialized care remains severely limited for many families in underserved regions. The UK team, led by Dr. James Liau, surgeon medical director for perioperative management at [UK HealthCare](https://uknow.uky.edu/uk-healthcare/uk-doctors-provide-life-changing-cleft-care-peru), traveled to Trujillo with the Global Smile Foundation, a nonprofit that has provided cleft care in multiple countries for nearly four decades. During the week-long mission, the team completed 59 surgical procedures for 40 patients, 481 dental procedures for 165 patients, 90 nutrition and feeding consults, and 88 psychosocial consults. "Families would travel 12 hours to get that surgery done. It's life changing for them," said Karah Brown, D.M.D., M.D., a graduate of UK College of Dentistry's oral and maxillofacial surgery residency program who participated in her first international surgical mission on the trip. Liau has led similar missions for two to three years to Peru, Guatemala, and Ecuador since his residency. The missions address a critical gap in care: children born with untreated cleft conditions face significant risks of poor health, malnutrition, feeding difficulties, hearing loss, and speech or dental problems. Many Peruvian families travel several days for surgical care, with some traveling 12 hours or more to reach the surgical team. Joining Liau on the trip were Dr. Garrett Minor, a sixth-year plastic surgery resident; Brown, his fiancée; and Dr. Emily Bliss, a fourth-year anesthesiology resident who recently completed her training at UK. For Minor and Brown, the experience marked their first major international surgical mission, though Brown had previously traveled to Ecuador as a dental student. "I think it's hard to go on one of these once and not be interested in going again," Minor said. "It changes your view and appreciation in a way that will stick with you forever." The Global Smile Foundation, founded and led by Dr. Usama Hamdan, employs a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to cleft care combined with education initiatives to empower local providers. The organization has developed [innovative technology to improve postoperative follow-up](https://gsmile.org/global-smile-foundation-uses-ai-to-expand-cleft-care-for-underserved-patients/), recently deploying an AI-enabled app that helps families in remote areas monitor healing from home. Liau emphasized the long-term commitment required in cleft care. "We follow these kids for their whole lives," he said, noting that children and adolescents with cleft conditions typically need multiple surgeries and years of follow-up care. One young patient treated during the mission received staged surgeries to repair a bilateral cleft lip and palate. "He epitomizes the resilience of children," Liau said. "Every time we would see him, he would give us a thumbs up, even immediately post-op when he was undoubtedly uncomfortable." The mission highlighted the need for continued international engagement. While the team's work was significant, many children remain waiting for care, making regular return visits critical. For young healthcare professionals, the experience provides invaluable training and perspective. [UK's commitment to global health](https://international.uky.edu/ghi/about-ghi) extends across multiple colleges and programs, including the [Global Health Initiative](https://international.uky.edu/ghi) and Shoulder to Shoulder Global program. Liau encourages students and residents interested in global health work to connect with experienced physicians and vet organizations carefully. "It's never too early to start," he said. "When you get a comparison with another country, it really brings things into sharp relief. Global health opens your eyes to your own healthcare system and helps shape you not only into stronger physicians, but more compassionate ones." ## Sources - [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/uk-healthcare/uk-doctors-provide-life-changing-cleft-care-peru) - [Global Smile Foundation using AI to expand cleft care](https://gsmile.org/global-smile-foundation-uses-ai-to-expand-cleft-care-for-underserved-patients/) - [University of Kentucky Global Health Initiatives](https://international.uky.edu/ghi/about-ghi) - [UK Global Health Initiative overview](https://international.uky.edu/ghi) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/uk-healthcare/uk-doctors-provide-life-changing-cleft-care-peru.