The Smile Train is dedicated to helping the 1.2 million children in China who suffer from unrepaired cleft lips & palates by providing free surgery. They will get a new smile and a new beginning.
Approximately 35,000 Chinese babies are born with cleft lips and palates each year. Almost 1.9 million of these children need medical care to lead productive lives. Because of their defect, they are often abandoned at birth. The greatest tragedy is that cleft surgery is a relatively simple procedure that takes as little as 45 minutes & can cost as little as $250. This surgery provides new smiles, hope & a new beginning to children who otherwise would lead lives of isolation and shame.
Cleft surgery gives children a second chance at life. It takes as little as 45 minutes, but the impact lasts a lifetime. After years of living in shame and isolation, these children can finally go to school, find a job, and lead happy lives.
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.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
