Our ace voiceover – meet Alfie

Ten-year-old Alfie voices Ace, the star of our new animation, designed to help patients and families understand more about cleft lip and palate and how it’s treated.He and his brother, Freddie, were both born with cleft lip and palate. Here, Alfie's mum, Carly, shares her story and tells us why Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) is so important to her family.

“During my 20-week scan, I found out that Alfie had a bilateral cleft lip and palate, and we were referred to GOSH.”

“Since birth, Alfie has been cared for by the Cleft Lip and Palate and the Dental and Maxillofacial teams, and we’ve stayed on many different wards. We’ve always found the staff extremely approachable and great with children.”

“I was a patient at GOSH myself, and subsequently worked in the Dental and Maxillofacial department for 16 years, so we have a really close bond with everyone. They’re like a second family to us and they’ve watched the boys grow up.

“Freddie, who has a unilateral cleft lip and palate, is twenty months older than Alfie, and he’s been able to help Alfie understand the condition and support him through it. Freddie went through the alveolar bone graft treatment first and was able to tell Alfie what to expect. They bounce off each other, which is fantastic, and it gave Alfie lots of comfort and reassurance to know what to expect when the time came for his procedure.

“GOSH is such a caring hospital and the staff are always welcoming and friendly. It might sound strange, but it’s a lovely place to bring the boys and they always have a positive experience.”

“Outside of hospital Alfie doesn’t let his condition affect him. He’s crazy about football and is always kicking a ball around my house!

“Alfie really enjoyed taking part in the animation project. Hopefully it will help patients like Alfie and Freddie feel less anxious and more prepared for their treatment.”

Watch Alfie's starring voiceover role in our animation below.