Have you ever thought about what a blessing it is to be able to smile when someone takes your picture? Have you ever pondered the amazingness of laughter, or the beauty of giggles? Is there anything more beautiful than a child staring wide-eyed at a camera, grinning from ear to ear?
Today is my "Highlight Your Favorite Charity" day, (I really just made that up because I needed an excuse to talk about this) and one of my favorite charities, Smile Train, is bringing smiles to children worldwide by providing free cleft surgeries to millions of children who wouldn't otherwise be able to smile. Cleft lips and palates are a huge problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. Many children with clefts have trouble eating and speaking, and often the stigma associated with clefts means that these children will not be allowed to attend school. An untreated cleft palate or lip often means a life of loneliness and humiliation, especially because in many developing countries, very little is understood about the cause of clefts, which are often attributed to things like evil spirits.
This is why Smile Train is so amazing to me! Not only are they performing surgeries for millions of children whose families couldn't afford it, they are also providing training to local doctors worldwide to help them continue the mission in their home countries. For $250, you can provide the cost for an entire surgery, and completely change the course of a child's life, and provide them with a beautiful smile as well! Possibly the best part about this, is the pictures that show up in the mail reminding you of how you've helped to put a smile on a child's face. It's a great feeling!
I know this may sound a bit like a PR brief... but I really do get super excited when I talk about this charity! I love that the problem of fixing clef palates is not something that's unattainable. And for someone like me who's scientifically challenged, and will never go to med school, I can still have a part in helping to fix the smiles of children worldwide. Love it, love it, love it!!!
~Jasmine
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| These are all pictures that Smile Train has sent me. Are these kids adorable or what?! |
