Twelve year-old Denver Abandon has a big smile, an easy laugh, and dreams that stretch far beyond his small hometown. Like many boys his age, he loves basketball, singing, and dancing. But Denver also carries a quiet burden. After undergoing cleft palate repair in 2025, a small fistula—a tiny opening between the nose and mouth—remained. This can sometimes affect the quality of speech, and for Denver it meant that his words occasionally sounded different. At school, some children mimicked the way he spoke, leaving him feeling hurt and discouraged.
One afternoon, Denver’s parents received a phone call that would change everything. A space had just opened in the surgical schedule, and the Rotaplast team hoped Denver could come. The news filled the family with excitement and relief. With the support of the organization Abounding in Love, Denver and his mother began the long journey to Cebu—an adventure that took nearly five hours and included a motorized tricycle ride, several buses, and finally a colorful and crowded jeepney weaving through busy streets.
Before and after cleft repair surgery, speech pathologists assess speech development and help children develop correct articulation. If velopharyngeal insufficiency or fistula persists after primary repair, they assist in determining whether speech therapy, secondary surgery, or prosthodontic devices such as speech bulbs or palatal lifts may be needed.
When they arrived, Denver’s spirit was as bright as ever. Despite the challenges he had faced, he spoke enthusiastically about his dreams. One day, he hopes to become a policeman, someone who protects others and stands up for what is right. His love for basketball keeps him active, and he happily admits that singing and dancing are among his favorite ways to have fun with friends and family although he was too shy to give the team a sample song and dance.
On surgery day, Denver walked in with quiet bravery. The Rotaplast team worked with incredible skill and compassion, carefully repairing the fistula that had been affecting him. It was a big moment for Denver and his family—a step toward easier speech, more comfortable eating, and greater confidence.
On a Rotaplast mission, speech therapists are the gentle guides of voice and confidence, stepping in once the surgical dust settles. Their role goes far beyond worksheets and exercises—they are the navigators of communication, helping children find clarity in their words after cleft lip, palate or fistula repair. With keen ears and warm hearts, they listen to every laugh, every stutter, every whispered hope, identifying subtle challenges in articulation, resonance, and swallowing.
During the Rotaplast mission in Cebu, Speech Pathologists who volunteer from abroad as members of the Rotaplast medical team, share their knowledge and skills with students from the local university.
Through ongoing therapy and collaboration with the cleft care team, speech pathologists help children achieve clearer speech, effective communication and feeding with improved quality of life. It is important to note that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) also monitor for hearing deficits because children with cleft palate frequently develop conductive hearing loss.
When Denver woke up, he was a little sleepy but already on the path to healing. Mom was able nourish him with a little juice after so many hours without food or drink
Accompanied back into his bed on the 5th floor ward, twelve-year-old Denver returns from surgery a little sleepy but a lot stronger. He will get some much needed rest before being discharged the next day.
Over the next days, his bright personality shone through even more. Nurses and volunteers loved checking on him because he greeted them with thumbs-up signs.
Speech Pathologists and students hustled up to the ward for a visit and a quick review with Denver prior to discharge. Denver will not be able to return for the post clinic (where team evaluations take place after some healing) due to the long distance that he traveled for surgery but he is excited about the future and the new opportunities that are now possible.
Denver’s journey with Rotaplast is a powerful reminder of what compassion and teamwork can accomplish. Thanks to the dedicated medical team and Denver’s own amazing bravery, he now looks ahead to the future with a stronger voice and an even bigger smile.