Our Stories

The model and activist on why Smile Train's work is so close to her heart.

In honor of Cleft Awareness Month 2021, Smile Train's Cleft Community Advisory Council presents real-life stories of growing up with a cleft or being the mom to a child with a cleft from people who have been there. 

While other cleft organizations’ operations were indefinitely suspended or severely cut back, Smile Train was able to keep moving.

"There's power in my cleft."

When Chelsea learned Luca would be born with a cleft, she couldn't find a community to comfort her. So she started her own.

The COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist empowers surgical teams to stay safe while operating on COVID+, or suspected COVID+, patients.

It's past time to rethink the mission model of cleft care.