![David's mom holds an image her son before cleft surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/david-holds-before.jpg?itok=BWHeD1_B)
David’s Cleft Journey in His Mother’s Words
Magaly is the mother of David, age five, a Smile Train patient in Quito, Ecuador. She shared with us her son’s journey to cleft care and what Smile Train has meant for her entire family.
![Elizabeth before cleft treatment](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-01/elizabeth-before.jpg?itok=yUVE6LD2)
A Banner Year for Elizabeth
Elizabeth's family tries to find the cleft surgery she desperately needs, in the middle of a lockdown.
![Andrea before her cleft lip surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/andrea-before-cleft-surgery.jpg?itok=TyxTVyr2)
Bravery And Courage Also Run In Her Family
Just when Jeann thought she had found a way to get her daughter with a cleft to a healthy weight, COVID-19 forced the entire island into lockdown.
![Saksham is holding an image of himself before cleft surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-01/saksham-holding-before-super_0.jpg?itok=YBOFWnED)
Saksham: Hope Is Always Alive
A boy from India is starving and his parents don't know what to do.
![Saraswati holds a Smile Train fan](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/saraswati-holds-smile-train-fan.jpg?itok=w5hqUR0-)
Nourishing Saraswati
Saraswati's parents tried everything to feed their baby, but no matter what they tried, the milk still spilled out her cleft. She constantly screamed with hunger, and they didn't know how she'd make it. Then a friend told them about Smile Train.
![Three siblings in India have cleft treatment](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/one-family-india-three-cleft-surgeries.jpg?itok=DQP2AbQE)
One Family Needs Three Smiles
Kamlesh learned to live with his cleft. His three children could not.
![Sushila holds the image of herself before cleft surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/sushila-holds-her-before-image.jpg?itok=mzKin1NC)
A Smile Educates
Everyone told Gyana to abandon her daughter when she was born with a cleft; her husband threatened to kill himself if she didn't. Afraid for both their lives, she took the child and fled.
![Fernando in scrubs with arms crossed](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/fernando-arms-crossed.jpg?itok=MNVZkOXM)
A Father’s Legacy of Smiles
How one man built a legacy of smiles that will last for generations — on both sides of the operating table.
![Andrea in Smile Train scrubs](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/andrea-in-smile-train-scrubs.jpg?itok=I7wdA3WA)
Treating the Whole Child in Ecuador
Meet the brother-sister duo transforming cleft care in the mountains of Ecuador.
![Jenious at his home holding an image of himself before cleft surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/jenious-holding-before-image.jpg?itok=9vX3darf)
A Jenious Smile
After a rough beginning, Jenious' life is now filled with puppies, music, and kung-fu.
![Professor Ogunlewe first woman cleft surgeon in Nigeria](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/professor-ogunlewe-smile-train-partner.jpg?itok=gRuNUztQ)
The Pioneer Professor: Olugbemiga Ogunlewe
Nigeria's first female oral surgeon has dedicated her career to improving the lives of children with clefts across the country. She found a worthy partner in Smile Train.