How Smile Train Helped Aaron Smile Even Before He Was Born
Our model of empowering local cleft teams makes all the difference for families like Aaron's.
![Anghelo hugs his mother after free cleft surgery in Peru](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-04/anghelo-with-mom-free-cleft-lip-palate-surgery-peru.jpg?itok=gX4sMVHu)
Anghelo Soars from the Lowest Valley to the Highest Peak
After experiencing some of the lowest depths imaginable, Anghelo and his family now celebrate their miraculous lives.
Milagros Finishes Strong
How Smile Train helped a girl who nearly didn't survive infancy grow to become queen of the rink.
![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.
![Mirian sits in a dress with untreated cleft lip](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/mirian-sits-in-dress.jpg?itok=EsVtwYsk)
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.
![Smile Train fundraiser crosses finish line](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/virtual-marathons-finish-line.jpg?itok=4E2dfphw)
Virtual Marathons, Real Lives Saved
When endurance events got canceled around the world, these Smile Train supporters ran anyway.
![Hema on red carpet with Smile Train YLC backdrop](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/hema-with-ylc-red-carpet.jpg?itok=Bw7jYDrP)
Why Hema Smiles No Matter What
When Hema was 12 years old, she learned that not everyone born with a cleft received the care she did. She decided right then to change that.
![Cristian holds one of his dogs](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-01/cristiang-w-dog.jpg?itok=S7mAGUVV)
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.
![Mia wears a superhero costume](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-01/mia-is-a-superhero-super.jpg?itok=5i2KiFdY)
Mia: The Hero We Need
It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's Smile Train patient Mia from Argentina.
![Group of Smile Train fundraisers in matching smile shirts](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-03/run-for-smiles-marathon.jpg?itok=tYcDVD-S)
Team EMPOWER’s 24 Hour Run for Smiles Races Past its Goal
The plan was simple: Raise $12,500 by having someone, somewhere, running or walking for smiles every minute of the day July 1.
![Monica holding an image of herself as a child](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-01/monica-holding-before-image-super.jpg?itok=ga-5c3ew)
Monica’s Inner Strength Shows in Her Smile
Monica has been through more than any child should, but today she shines bright.