Thanks for starting this thread, Carien! I thought I would post a couple patient stories from Smile Train. You are right, these kids wouldn't have any chance at a normal life without the work of Smile Train. I think they have provided surgeries for about 600,000 kids.
Angelica Joy, 2 years, Philippines
For Angelica Joy (AJ) Fabroa, getting the operation needed to fix her cleft lip was a challenge. The youngest of four children, AJ was born in the Philippines into a poor, hardworking and loving family.
After Angelica's Cleft Lip Surgery When AJ was born, her father started crying at the sight of her cleft lip. He and his wife were devastated, but neither of them lost hope because they knew her cleft could be treated. Knowing that AJ would have trouble feeding, they placed her in the care of a local mission that treated children with clefts. However, because AJ had been underweight since birth and had a weak body, the local mission evaluated her and would not operate.
When AJ and her parents returned a second time, again she could not pass the physical due to her low body weight and they were told to hospitalize her. AJ’s parents could never afford to pay for the cost of a hospital stay and so they began searching for another alternative.
Soon after, a local council official visited their small community and told AJ’s parents about The Smile Train Cleft Care Program run in conjunction with the Philippine Band of Mercy. In a matter of weeks, AJ finally received the surgery to repair her deformity.
Today, little AJ is a healthy and happy two-year-old, who can eat normally and is starting to talk. Because of the determination of her family and The Smile Train, the Fabroa family can all smile together!
Bhavani, 6 months, India
Thirupathi Rao and his wife were a happily married couple. They settled in a small village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh in India. They are agricultural laborers and whenever they manage to get work, they earn less than $2.00 per day.
Their first child was a healthy boy. But when Mrs. Rao gave birth to her second child, the family was shocked to see that the baby girl had a disfiguring facial deformity. They thought it was a curse from the gods and they were so despondent about the whole issue they wanted to abandon the child.
Luckily for the baby girl, her mother learned about The Smile Train cleft project through other members of her village who also had a child born with a cleft.
The baby girl was brought to Vijetha Hospital at Vijayawada and was examined by the chief surgeon and the director of the project Dr. P.M.C. Naidu.
After the surgery Bhavani’s family was thrilled to see her with a normal looking lip and their joy could not be translated into words. They no longer feel like they have been cursed, but rejoice when they see their beautiful baby girl smile!
