Foundation helps children with craniofacial conditions

Foundation helps children with craniofacial conditions

2025-09-04

Since its founding in 1989, the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation has supported more than 90,000 families affected by craniofacial conditions, providing long -term care and education. Today, we take you to meet Qi Qi, a young girl born with microtia, a congenital condition where the ears are underdeveloped. Doctors initially thought she would live for only seven days. But thanks to the support of the foundation and her mother, Qi Qi recently celebrated her fourth birthday. FTV reporter Stephany Yang has the story.

Surrounded by her family, Qi Qi cuts her birthday cake. Born with a cleft palate, microtia, and multiple congenital conditions, Qi Qi weighed just 1,380 grams at birth. Doctors predicted she would survive only seven days. She faced daunting challenges: a missing kidney, an underdeveloped spine and chest, and torticollis. Raised by her mother as a single parent, Qi Qi’s journey was made possible with the support of the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation. Today, she’s a healthy and lively 4-year-old.

Qi Qi’s mom
The doctors originally said she wouldn’t live long. Later, the hospital introduced me to the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation, which has supported me all the way and accompanied Qi Qi. What touches me the most is seeing her grow every day, becoming livelier and livelier. Just seeing her smile makes everything worth it. She’s currently undergoing speech, cognitive, and physical therapy. She’s hard of hearing, and she’s still learning to communicate with us. But now, she can respond to us a bit by using sign language."

Golden Bell Award-winning actor Wen Sheng-hao serves as the foundation’s ambassador. He called on the public to support, donate and remove the stigma surrounding children with craniofacial conditions.

Wen Sheng-hao
Foundation ambassador
It’s not just about providing medical care. What is important is providing emotional support. This May, I attended a family gathering event, and I realized that aside from the craniofacial patients themselves, the ones who suffer the most are the family members. Families often experience a lot of inner conflict, anxiety, and sometimes even thoughts of giving up. If, at those moments, we can encourage each other, I believe that kind of support carries tremendous power.

The Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation was founded by Dr. Samuel Noordhoff in 1989, in hopes of helping congenital craniofacial patients receive holistic care and medical treatment as well as educate the public about the condition. In addition to medical support, the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation offers training for family members and respite caregivers. It also organizes summer camps, provides scholarships, and awards grants.

Ko Wen-ching
Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation
"The Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation has been established for over 30 years. Its main service recipients are patients with congenital craniofacial deformities. In Taiwan, the most common congenital craniofacial condition is cleft lip and palateabout 1 in every 700 births. There are also cases of isolated cleft palate. QiQi has microtia, and we have quite a few patients with this condition as well. Because these conditions occur at birth, the support needed is quite extensive and long-term, often continuing from childhood into adulthood. Step by step, patients undergo craniofacial reconstructive surgeries and even orthodontic treatments."

Every year in Taiwan, over 300 children are born with congenital craniofacial anomaliesconditions like cleft lips and palates, and microtia. Now in its 36th year, the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation remains committed to supporting these children and their families, helping them grow up healthy.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#温昇豪 #NoordhoffCraniofacialFoundation #inspirational #hope #foundation #Craniofacial

羅慧夫基金會助母度難關奇蹟女孩萁萁堅強活過4年

2025-09-04

羅慧夫顱顏基金會是由美國籍整形外科醫師羅慧夫於1989年創立，至今在台已累計服務超過 9萬人次的顱顏患者，提供長期照護與教育資源。今天帶你來認識萁萁，當時出生時體重只有1380公克，醫生預測她只能活七天。在媽媽與羅慧夫顱顏基金會的支持下，現在的她已經是個健康活潑的4歲小女孩。

在家人的陪同下，萁萁切下自己的生日蛋糕。萁萁出生時體重只有1380公克，患有顎裂、小耳畸形和多種先天性疾病。當時，醫生預測她只能活七天。她面臨嚴峻的挑戰：除了腭裂，還缺少一顆腎臟、脊椎與胸骨發育不全、心臟破損與斜頸等多重病症。萁萁由母親獨自撫養長大，在羅慧夫顱顏基金會的支持下，如今，她已經是個健康活潑的4歲小女孩了。

[[萁萁媽媽]]
"原本醫生說她活不久，然後後面就是醫院也幫我介紹羅慧夫基金會，一路扶持我，陪伴萁萁，最感動的就是她一天天的長大，越來越活潑，也是看到她的微笑，就是都值得，她現在還有在做語言、智能、物理治療，因為語言部分聽不太到，所以還在學習如何跟我們溝通，但是她現在會用手語跟我們稍微的對答"

金鐘獎得主溫昇豪擔任基金會愛心大使，呼籲社會大眾支持、捐款，消除對顱顏病患兒的偏見。

[[基金會大使温昇豪]]
"不只是提供醫療的照顧，更多是心理上面的照顧，我今年五月份去參加了家庭的聯誼會，我覺得最辛苦除了顱顏患者之外，最主要還是家人，家人常常會產生很多的糾結，不安，可能會想要放棄，如果這時可以互相打氣，我覺得這個力量非常重大"

羅慧夫顱顏基金會是由美國籍整形外科醫師羅慧夫於1989年創立，旨在幫助先天性顱顏畸形患者獲得全面的照護和治療，並向大眾普及相關知識。除了醫療支援外，羅慧夫顱顏基金會也為患者家屬和喘息照顧者人員提供培訓。基金會也舉辦夏令營，提供獎學金和助學金。

[[羅慧夫顱顏基金會董事長柯雯青]]
"羅慧夫基金會成立了30多年，主要服務的對象是先天性顱顏畸形的病人，先天性顱顏畸形的病人，在台灣最大宗就是唇顎裂，唇顎裂大概700人裡面有一個。另外還有顎裂，萁萁是小耳症，我們滿多病人也是，因為他們是在出生的時候就發生，所以他們需要的協助其實還滿長，需要從小到成人，一步一步做一些顱顏重建的手術，甚至矯正治療"

台灣每年有超過300名先天性顱顏畸形兒童出生，如唇顎裂和小耳畸形。羅慧夫顱顏基金會成立至今已36年，始終致力於支持顱顏兒童及家庭，協助他們健康長大。

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A student almost drowned at NTU’s indoor swimming pool on Thursday morning. He was rushed to hospital, where he was resuscitated, but he has yet to fully regain consciousness.

Witness (voice altered)
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We weren’t sure if he wasn’t feeling well. When we were trying to save him, we noticed that he had a lot of food in his mouth that started floating on the water, and then we pulled him up.

The graduate student is in his 20s and had gone swimming with his girlfriend at the indoor pool. As a beginner swimmer, he had to rest every now and then by getting on his feet in the pool. It was during one of these pauses that he suddenly collapsed backward. His girlfriend tried to save him and the life guard on duty also came to help.

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He might have been breathing too fast, or held his breath for too long. Of course there’s also the issue of one’s physical condition. For example, someone with arrhythmia or another issue could faint all of a sudden. Seeing that he’s a student, it’s likely that he stayed up late. Or he could have just eaten, or got in the pool on an empty stomach. These are all plausible reasons.

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Considering that the indoor pool on campus is only 130cm at the deepest, it’s likely the student would not have ever expected an accident like this. The university has issued a notice confirming the incident, while also stating that the student’s vital signs have stabilized. It’s also reported the incident as a campus safety issue to the Ministry of Education, saying that it’ll continue to keep track of the student’s condition.

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New Taipei’s pomelos best of past three years

Typhoons and heavy rains this summer may have impacted pomelo production in central and southern Taiwan, but in New Taipei’s Bali District, which was relatively unfazed by the storms, pomelos continued to thrive. The local farmers’ association even says that these pomelos, which are now officially on the market, are the best in the past three years.

Pomelo season has come back around, and farmers in New Taipei’s Bali District have grown the most delicious pomelos yet. Here, production was relatively unaffected by typhoons that battered Central and Southern Taiwan earlier in the summer.

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Based on interviews with farmers, there has only been sporadic loss of fruit, probably in the single digits, around 3 to 5%. So, production this year is estimated to be on par with previous years.

Peeling the pomelo reveals ripe and juicy pink flesh inside. In Bali, the terrain and weather make the pomelos here different from those grown in other places.

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The flesh is a little chewy and smells really sweet. I think this is about 12.5 degrees on the Brix scale. Generally, pomelos above 10 degrees are considered good. The quality this year is probably the best in the past three years.

Participants peel pomelos to make a natural cleaning solution at this press conference marking the arrival of pomelo season, hosted by the New Taipei Agricultural Bureau. The conference highlighted the many uses of pomelos in cooking, from pomelo honey-glazed pork chops and pomelo poached chicken, to this platter of vegetables paired with pomelo jam.

Huang Shun-hsing
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The pomelo flavor makes the pork chop especially tender. It won’t be sour because it has been appropriately seasoned.

Dressed in adorable green costumes, children perform a dance routine celebrating the arrival of pomelo season. This press conference educated the audience about local food and agriculture, and promoted an upcoming sales exhibit.

Chen Hsi-hui
New Taipei Agricultural Bureau director
On September 20 and 21, there will be a 40-stall sales exhibit right outside the Sustainable Development Education Center in Bali. From stacking pomelos to fishing for pomelos, at this event participants can buy plenty, eat plenty, and have plenty of fun.

This press conference was not just about selling pomelos, but included education, games, and even incorporated the restaurant industry. Pomelos not only mark the arrival of Mid-Autumn Festival, but also help to connect local industries and communities.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Wearing a Taiwan jersey, President Lai Ching-te hands out griddle cakes to smiling rising stars in youth baseball.

Lai was in high spirits as he posed for pics with the young players, as an avid baseball fan himself. Three teams struck victory at international competitions this year and Lai had a surprise in store to celebrate the win.

Lai Ching-te
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Taiwan will inaugurate its Ministry of Sports on Sept. 9, to better support athletes.

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Dredgers use excavator bucket to cool off in river

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Five construction workers squeezed into this excavator bucket as their colleague lowered it into the water over and over again, cooling them off in the river and turning the construction site into a water park. They even switched to another riverbed on the right side for a few more dips. They seemed to be having a great time, but people watching were shocked.

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They need to be careful. The latch of the excavator bucket may not be properly secured.

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It might not be safe. It takes a lot of force to lower and raise the bucket, which could lead to muscle strains or impact-related injuries.

Typhoons and heavy rains earlier this summer led to massive water surges in the Dawu River, which accumulated large amounts of sand and gravel in the riverbed. A contractor was hired to dredge the river, but during their break, five workers climbed into the excavator bucket to cool off in the water. This dangerous behavior is subject to a fine of up to NT$300,000.

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Engaging in this kind of dangerous behavior likely violates occupational safety laws and could result in a fine of at least NT$30,000.

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Recipients of the award pose for a group photo. ITRI is honoring these young students for their potential in contributing to energy transition, which relies on interdisciplinary talents.

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