Cleft Care in Indonesia: Alwi’s Story with Smile Train and Haleon
Ayu and Kurnia’s search for cleft treatment led to free local care thanks to Smile Train, Haleon, and kind donors around the world.
Summary: Baby Alwinata (“Alwi”) received free cleft surgery at RSUD Patut Patuh Patju, a Smile Train partner hospital in Indonesia. Haleon’s partnership with Smile Train helped to fund the treatment that gave him a second chance at life.
A cleft diagnosis late in pregnancy
Sometimes, life comes at you fast. And sometimes, that’s a wonderful thing: Kurnia and Ayu met at a Bagawai, a traditional Indonesian cultural celebration, in 2024. Less than a year and a half later, they were married and Ayu was pregnant.
Pregnancy was everything Ayu had always dreamed it would be. She carried well and never felt very uncomfortable — the closest thing to a medication she ever needed was skin cream. She attended every check-up and ultrasound and each brought only good news.
Until the last one, well into her third trimester, when the doctor saw something unexpected. He had a cleft lip.
“It felt impossible,” said Kurnia.
“I could not believe it either,” Ayu said. “I felt weak and overwhelmed because everything had been fine before that.”
But the doctor was certain. The boy had covered his mouth with his hands at every other check-up; now there was no doubt.
Facing a cleft diagnosis as a family
Other times when life comes at you fast, it can feel overwhelming. Kurnia may have still been standing in the doctor’s office looking at his baby on an ultrasound screen, but his mind had transported him years into the future, where he could only watch helplessly as his son sat alone at lunch and was picked on by all the other children in the neighborhood.
Ayu, likewise, could only stare at the fuzzy screen with her focus somewhere far beyond it.
The doctor reassured them that treatment was available locally and they snapped back to the present at once.
Finding free cleft surgery in Indonesia
When Alwi was born, Ayu and Kurnia’s families offered only encouragement and blessings, but Ayu still feared how neighbors might react. She stayed indoors with him for three months straight. “I was not confident at all,” she said.
While Ayu stayed inside, Kurnia visited doctors’ offices all around the city seeking help for his baby. “Sometimes we would be referred to one place, and then another doctor would tell us to go somewhere else,” he said. “That was the biggest difficulty.”
Then Kurnia’s sibling in Colombia contacted him with a lead: a friend worked at a hospital there that partnered with Smile Train to provide free cleft surgeries… and said they work in Indonesia, too!
Kurnia searched and found RSUD Patut Patuh Patju, right in their province.
Before Kurnia and Ayu knew it, Alwi had a date for cleft surgery. When the day arrived, his whole extended family traveled together to the hospital. They listened closely as the cleft team explained how to care for Alwi in the days and weeks after the surgery, and held each other close while he was away in the operating room.
A short time later, they were holding each other even closer and crying on each other’s shoulders at the first sight of Alwi after surgery.
How Smile Train and Haleon support local cleft care
Alwi’s transformation was made possible by his parents’ unwavering love, the dedication of their cleft team, and Smile Train’s long-term partnership with Haleon, a global leader in consumer health. Together, we are empowering local medical professionals around the world to provide safe, high-quality, comprehensive cleft care close to home, including the team at RSUD Patut Patuh Patju.
A family looking forward
Today, Alwi is a source of pure joy for his parents, his family, his community, and everyone who sees him. Ayu and Kurnia see only bright things for his future, and they are grateful to be able to finally slow down and enjoy every little moment and memory together as a family.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Smile Train and Haleon for the assistance we received,” said Kurnia.
“It has been an incredible experience, and I am very thankful,” said Ayu. “I also represent other cleft-affected families in saying that I hope this program will continue helping other children in the future.”