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.
A Warrior at Heart
At one month old, Mirian weighed just four pounds. Five months later, with the support of our local partners, she had transformed into a happy, chubby baby.
Healing Heartbreak with a Smile (Dogs Help, Too)
Angelica was 15 years old, single, and had just given birth to a baby with a cleft. All she knew about clefts was how she had seen people with them harassed without mercy. But she promised to never give up on the little life before her.
Saksham: Hope Is Always Alive
A boy from India is starving and his parents don't know what to do.
Monica’s Inner Strength Shows in Her Smile
Monica has been through more than any child should, but today she shines bright.
It’s Never Too Late to Dream
Maria has been waiting for cleft surgery since 1953. When the opportunity came, her son wanted her to pass.
With Maria Every Step of the Way
Stella breastfed her seven other children without problems, but Maria’s clefts caused the milk to come out of her nose and made her choke.
A Father In Disbelief
When Habeeba was born, the doctor gasped and told her mother, Ahlam, he’d never seen a baby like her before.
A Smile That Brightens And Enlightens
Ayubu's classmates harassed him relentlessly for years because of a local myth about clefts. When he was 10 years old, his mother heard there was hope at a hospital less than an hour away.
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.
One Family Needs Three Smiles
Kamlesh learned to live with his cleft. His three children could not.