Novel, a 14 year old teenager from Indonesia, was born with serious bilateral cleft lip and palate. Novel had his first surgery when he was at the age of 1, then he underwent another 3 surgeries between the ages of 4 and 7. Unfortunately, none of these surgeries worked out very well. Novel and his mom were traumatized and didn't want to try surgery any more. 

On the other hand, Novel’s dad had been physically and emotionally violent toward Novel and his mom since Novel was little. Novel’s dad couldn’t accept the fact that his son was born with a cleft lip and palate, and considered Novel as a curse. Being victim of domestic violence for years, Novel’s mom made the decision to end this marriage and moved back to live with Novel’s grandma. Novel now lives with his grandma, mom and younger brother. Novel’s mum’s 4 USD monthly salary has to cover the whole family's expenses. Novel's mom is a strong woman; despite all of these heart-breaking experiences, she still wants to give the best to her family. 

In 2017, “Children of Sumatra,” a local NGO in Indonesia who found Novel when he was 1 year old, and helped him to arrange those surgeries, contacted the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) in Taiwan. The NCF has been working with the reputable Craniofacial Center of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH) for decades, and is dedicated in providing essential support to domestic and overseas craniofacial patients. After evaluating Novel’s case, the NCF decided to help Novel by referring him to Taiwan for further treatment.