Real Stories. Real Heroes.
Mixquiahuala, Mexico - Smile Train patient Monserrat has overcome a lot in her young life, and has turned adversity into strength.
Sulawesi, Indonesia - Natsir's simple act of kindness to a stranger resulted in his sons' free cleft surgeries. Now he volunteers his time to find other children with cleft.
Douala, Cameroon - Program Manager Amber Webb writes about her experience to help expand best practices in patient outreach.
Varanasi, India - In 2007, Pinki was a frightened little girl in need of free cleft repair surgery. Today, she is confident and loves to show off her smile.
Xi'an, China - For some people, four years is a short period of time. For a surgeon, four years is the amount of time spent in medical school. For Smile Train, four years is just shy of a third of our existence. However, for a child with a cleft, four years can change his fate. Four years moved Hua Tai'an and his family from sadness and helplessness to happiness and hope.
Dover, Delaware - Smile Train supporter Kateri Lambrose shares the story of how she adopted her daughter Alayna, a former Smile Train patient.
Tibet, China - Soaring more than 4,500 meters above sea level in the highest region on earth, an incredibly brave little boy and his family received a modern-day miracle.
Kathmandu - Program Associate Zach Shuster writes about the astonishing efforts of B&B Hospital's outreach team.
New York, NY - Smile Train partner surgeons Dr. Lisa Hasibuan and Dr. Ataklitie Berhea recently received scholarships to travel to the United States for advanced training in Interdisciplinary cleft care. The award was sponsored through a collaboration of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Plastic Surgery Foundation, and Smile Train.
Dhaka, Bangladesh - Khondoker and his wife Tasmin eagerly expected the birth of their third child, but were shocked when she was born with a cleft lip and palate and was diagnosed with dwarfism.
Bujumbura, Burundi - In Burundi there are 0.03 doctors per 1,000 people. Accordingly, Smile Train's programs in the country require a unique approach.
Mexico City, Mexico - Arat de Jesús Sánches Vazquez was born with a cleft lip and palate and had free surgery at one of our partners. 9 years later, he's as happy as ever.
Paranaque City, Philippines - Rojan knows the suffering that can come with an unrepaired cleft better than anyone, which is why he now works hard to help other cleft patients.
Veracruz, Mexico - Pedro and Griselda traveled with their children over 500km in 1 1/2 months to fix their son's cleft lip.
Beijing, China - Acclaimed author Mary Doria Russell describes what this incredible day means not just to Wang Li and her husband, but the entire Smile Train family.
