Dr Walter Flapper

07/07/2026

31/05/2026

Proud to be a part of the team

After facing tough challenges from birth, Jelome William melted his mother Lily Henry’s heart with his first word: “Mumma.”

08/03/2026

How you nourish your body after surgery is one of the most important factors for a smooth recovery. 🙌 This postop smoothie is designed to help reduce inflammation, swelling and tenderness with the natural healing properties of its ingredients, making it a perfect option after plastic surgery. ✨

Save this post for later so you are prepared for recovery, and always consult your ASPS Member Surgeon for personalized postop instructions and dietary guidelines.

13/02/2026

An all too short a visit to Jakarta working with Indonesian colleagues. Teaching, clinics, collaborating in surgery and strengthening the relationship between the Faculty of Plastic Surgery, University of Indonesia and Cleft and Craniofacial SA.

10/11/2024

Just locked in the next outreach clinic in Tasmania. Will be seeing patients in Launceston on January 10, 2025.

28/10/2024

Happy to be home after a productive outreach visit to Indonesia. Thank you to Dr Henny and the team at RSCM in Jakarta and Drs Mendy, Stevy and the team in Manado for making the visit a success.

10/08/2024

Meet 6-month-old Isabella and her dad, Colin, both cleft palate patients who have received care at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. 🏥

While Colin’s cleft lip and palate came as a surprise to his parents when he was born in Port Pirie Hospital in 1993, Colin and his fiancé, Zoe, were made aware of Isabella’s cleft palate during a routine ultrasound scan. Much like her father all those years ago, 6-month-old Isabella had her first of several surgeries this month, a lip repair surgery.

As a father of a cleft baby and a former cleft palate patient, Colin has inspiring advice to give to other families:
“When I found out, I was concerned for her because I knew what I had gone through, and as a father, I didn’t want her to have to go through that. I was concerned about the operations she would have and then there’s the possibility of bullying and just knowing how people could be”

“As a cleft palate patient, you face a lot of challenges quite early on in life. I didn’t have a lot of bullying, but as a kid, you do look around and notice that your lip isn’t the same as everyone else’s”

“My message to other parents is, yes, it is a big thing to have your child born with cleft lip palate. You have feelings of ‘why has this happened to me?’. But really, your child is the one who needs to deal with this. They have their own hopes and dreams and it’s your job to make sure they know they’re as capable as everyone else”

“When you think of your kids, you want the best for them. I just keep reminding myself that she’s going to have a whole full life and that this is an opportunity to teach her how to live and instil in her that she will live an amazing life”

“As a father and former cleft palate patient myself, I just want to support Isabella and make sure she lives the same life as someone that was not born with a cleft palate”.

To find out more about our cleft and craniofacial services, visit https://www.wch.sa.gov.au/patients-visitors/children/surgical-care/cleft-and-craniofacial-sa

29/07/2023

July is Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness month, and this is Percy’s story.

Percy was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate and was the first patient to undergo Naso-Alveolar Moulding (NAM) therapy at the Women's and Children's Hospital.

In just a few months with NAM therapy, and the dedication of his loving parents, Percy’s lip gap decreased from 14mm to 2mm.

NAM therapy is a pre-surgical therapy for children born with a cleft lip and/or palate that works by gently directing the growth of the baby’s gums and shaping of the nose by reducing the cleft inside the mouth using a plate.

The baby wears the plate 24/7, while the dedicated NAM team at Women's and Children's Health Network provide ongoing care, making small adjustments every one to two weeks. This not only reduces the gap in the upper lip but also lifts and narrows the nose, making it easier for surgeons to repair.

At 6 months old, after a few months of NAM therapy, Percy had his first surgery to repair his lip. Mum Stephanie says it all went well and Percy has recovered amazingly.

We think the smile says it all!