#iam4OperationSmile

Every child deserves the chance to smile without being judged for his or her appearance. Unfortunately this is not the case. Around the world, every three minutes, a child is born with cleft lip or palate. Many of these children do not survive until their first birthday. Their peers often bully the children who do survive. They are told they look “different” or “ugly.” Operation Smile believed these children deserve a chance for a happy future.

Operation Smile is an international organization whose goal is to provide free, safe surgeries to children who suffer from cleft lip and cleft palate. The organization has provided surgeries in more than sixty countries, many of which are among the poorest in the world. Volunteer doctors, nurses, and speech-language pathologists donate their time and travel across the world to help change the life of a child in need. The organization works closely with local medical centers and professions to create a unique plan of action on each of its medical mission trips. The organization has also developed care centers around the world, in order to ensure that patients are able to receive ongoing care once the medical mission trip has concluded.

Operation Smile shares the stories of its patients through YouTube videos. The organization provides a glimpse into the lives of a patient before their surgery, on the day of the surgery, and post-surgery. The viewer receives an inside look into how the child prepares for what ends up being one of the happiest days of his or her life. The organization depicts how significantly one surgery can change the life of a young child.

On my very first day of college, I joined my university’s local Operation Smile chapter. I started out by fundraising and volunteering at the organization’s events. I attended monthly meetings where speakers would share their personal experiences with cleft lip, cleft palate, or Operation Smile.

When I was introduced to the chapter’s faculty leader, I was unaware that she had previously suffered from cleft lip herself. After listening to her share her story with the community, I realized how common cleft lip and palate were. This was not something that just happened in third world countries, it happened here in the United States, as well.

Since that first day of college, I have taken on much more responsibility as president of the organization. I have helped, not only fundraise ten surgeries per year, but also raise awareness on what Operation Smile does. Through the creation of Smile Week, I have extended the knowledge about cleft lip and cleft palate to hundreds of students on my university’s campus.

I hope that many others will fall in love with Operation Smile the way I did. Through the support of other students, and citizens of the world, I hope that I can help make another child smile. As a future speech-language pathologist, I hope to work with children, who suffered from cleft lip and palate, post-surgery. I hope to ensure they are able to communicate with their peers and live a happy life with their new smile.