Free Cleft Surgery for 400 Filipino Children

Summary

Smile Train is dedicated to helping the hundreds of thousands of children in the Philippines who suffer from unrepaired cleft lips & palates with free surgery. They will have new smiles and new hopes

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Each year about 4,500 Pilipino babies are born with cleft lips and palates. Approximately 180,000 of these children need medical care to lead productive lives. Because of their birth defect, they are often abandoned at birth. The greatest technology is that cleft surgery is a simple procedure that takes as little as 45 minutes and can cost as little as $250. This surgery gives hope and a new beginning to children who otherwise would lead lives of isolation and shame.

How will this project solve this problem?

Each child who undergoes cleft surgery is given a second chance at life. The surgery takes 45 minutes, but the impact lasts a lifetime. After years of living in shame and isolation, these children can finally go to school and lead happy lives.

Potential Long Term Impact

Children’s lives are changed forever. Dignity is restored to the family and the medical community benefits. Newly trained Smile Train doctors share their surgical skills with new doctors ensuring that cleft care will be available for years to come.

Project Message

Smile Train empowers medical teams throughout the Philippines so more surgeries can be done and more children’s lives can be touched. The transformation this surgery makes is clear by the new smiles.
- Rogelio la O' Cooey, Country Director, Philippines

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources

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