|
“It is beautiful to know that you don’t need a personal connection for someone to show up for you.”
|
|
|
|
A Father Who Understood: Miguel and Margaret’s Shared Journey
|
|
|
|
|
Margaret was born with a cleft condition in Lima, Peru. Her parents, Melina and Miguel, are building a life together in San Martin de Porras, just north of the city. When they learned they were expecting, they wanted one thing for their daughter: a healthy future full of possibilities.
For Miguel, that hope was deeply personal. Born with a cleft condition himself, he knew what it meant to grow up navigating a world that did not always make room for someone with a cleft. He knew the questions, the stares and the quiet moments of wondering what life might look like on the other side of care. That knowledge filled him with resolve.
Read Margaret and Miguel's story.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back to School with Confidence: How Cleft Care Helped Peter Thrive in the Classroom
|
From a surprise at birth to confidence in the classroom today, Peter’s story shows how access to cleft care helped him thrive in school and how his family move beyond stigma and uncertainty.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Five Ways Operation Smile Builds Hope
|
Hope becomes real through action. This International Day of Hope, discover five ways Operation Smile is building hope together with patients, families, volunteers, supporters and partners around the world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The latest edition of our LinkedIn newsletter, Hope/Ward, is available now.
|
|
|
|
Bolivia
In Santa Cruz, Operation Smile Bolivia provided care to 36 patients during a program in June.
|
|
|
Democratic Republic of the Congo
On June 20, Operation Smile DRC hosted a student leadership conference, empowering and mobilizing young leaders.
|
|
|
|
Ghana
Operation Smile Ghana provided comprehensive health evaluations to 93 patients and 51 surgeries during a program in June in Ho.
|
|
|
Jordan
During a two-day dental program in Madaba, Operation Smile Jordan provided 234 patients with consultations and conducted 184 procedures.
|
|
|
|
Latin America and the Caribbean Comprehensive Care Training
Operation Smile held a training for comprehensive care providers in Bogotá, Colombia in June. With more than 170 participants from 13 countries, the four-day training included presentations and discussions united by a common goal: to enhance patient care for children with cleft lip and palate.
|
|
|
|
Madagascar
In Antananarivo, Operation Smile Madagascar provided comprehensive health evaluations to 128 patients and surgery to 82 during a program in June.
|
|
|
Peru
In June, Operation Smile Peru provided comprehensive health evaluations to 66 patients and surgery to 38 during a program in Lima.
|
|
|
|
Rwanda
In June, Operation Smile Rwanda provided surgery to 43 patients during a surgical program in Ruhengeri.
|
|
|
Tanzania
Operation Smile Tanzania hosted a training for healthcare providers in June in Dar es Salaam, strengthening local expertise in speech and language therapy.
|
|
|
|
July marks National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness of the millions of people around the world living with cleft conditions and other craniofacial differences while recognizing the importance of timely access to care.
Many children and families still face barriers to care, and lasting change requires more than surgery alone. It depends on strengthening local health systems that make quality care accessible, sustainable and locally led.
|
|
|
|
|
