ALA is the only association in Bulgaria for parents and children born with facial anomalies, which was founded in 1997 in Plovdiv. Its main goal is the improvement of care and social integration of the patients with facial anomalies. ALA is based in the Ward of Plastic and Craniofacial surgery in the Medical University of Plovdiv which allows a very close collaboration between parents and specialists.

The President - Ekaterina Timcheva

   37 years, mother of Christina with otomandibular syndrome, elected as President in 2000. Hairdresser, lives in Plovdiv.

Youri Anastassov

   42 years old, Plastic surgeon, French and Bulgarian nationalities. Married with one child. Medical studies in Mexico from 1979 to 1982 then in Sofia, Bulgaria. Specialization in Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery in the Department of Professor Philippe Pellerin in Lille, France from 1990 to 1993. MD degree in the field of cleft lip and palate in 1995 from the Medical University of Sofia. Head of the Plastic and craniofacial Ward in Plovdiv from 1996. Associate Professor from 2000. National representative for Bulgaria in the network EUROCLEFT-EUROCRAN. Member of the "Groupe francophone pour l'etude de la Face". Associated member of the European Society of Craniofacial Surgery from 2002. "Maitre es Sciences Medicales" from 2003. Speaks Bulgarian, French, Spanish and English .

Velichka Gologanova

   33 years old, nurse and mother of Plamena with a bilateral cleft lip and palate.

Petar Stanchev

   37 years old, social worker from the city of Assenovgrad, father of Maria with a unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Blagomir Zahariev

   41 years old, engineer from Plovdiv, father of Dimitar with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

   Active members - 85 persons divided as follows: parents of children (85%), patients (10%), specialists (5%). The General Assembly is held usually 2 or 3 times a year, the meetings of the Administration Council are held at least once in a month. So far the Association has received financial and material help from sponsoring parents, the German, the French and Italian Embassy in Sofia, the University Hospital of Lille, France and some foreign families treated by our teamas the family Gizzi from Italy. From 2000 to 2001 SMILETRAIN has sponsored through ALA the Plastic and Craniofacial Ward of Plovdiv for the realization of 125 primary surgical interventions of children with cleft lip and palate. In 2004 SMILETRAIN made an extra funding to ALA for educational work, speech therapy, surgical instruments, etc… In 2003 ALA received a considerable material support from the Kiwanis of Seclin, North of France.

   Since the beginning, ALA participates in different projects in order to collect funds for the realization of its aims. For the improvement of the knowledge of the medical and paramedical specialists and parents about cleft lip and palate, ALA has edited a leaflet and a small education book for parents purpose. In June 2000 ALA has organized a course for speech therapists.
   In June 2000 ALA organized a course for speech therapists - Ms Zlatka Boteva - lecturer.