Smile Train Philippines marks 30,000 surgeries

PAMPANGA , Philippines— Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft charity, has recently performed its 30,000th cleft surgery in the Philippines. With over 40 partner hospitals around the country, it is Smile Train’s vision to change the world one smile at a time.

To celebrate this important “smilestone,” Dingdong Dantes, chairman of YesPinoy Foundation and commissioner-at-large of the National Youth Commission, visited Smile Train patients in San Fernando.

“I was very moved when I saw the kids. I saw children who should be in school, but could not go to school because they were ashamed of their condition. With the help of Smile Train, these children — and their families — are given a second lease on life,” said Dingdong.

Dingdong visited the hospital with fiancée Marian Rivera, who is also Ambassador for Women and Children with Disabilities. She was emotional during the visit and asked the public for help, “I was surprised to hear that there are nearly 5,000 Filipino children born every year with a cleft. Yung iba, teenager na, hindi pa naooperahan. Kung may kilala po kayong may bingot, itawag niyo po agad sa Smile Train para matulungan sila. Yung mga may cleft palate or butas sa ngala-ngala, kung hindi sila maoperahan habang bata pa, magiging ngongo po sila. Kaya talagang kailangan maoperahan sila habang maaga pa.”

“Smile Train believes that every child born with a cleft deserves the opportunity to live a full and productive life. We aim to reach poor communities and families that do not have access to medical care, and bridge the gap between the cleft child and a simple surgery that can change the child’s life,” said Kimmy Flaviano, country manager, Smile Train Philippines.

More than just the isolation, humiliation and the stigma attached to these conditions, children who suffer from unrepaired cleft lips and palates also have difficulty eating, breathing and speaking. These complications make it challenging for a child to go out into the world and lead a normal, productive life.

In the Philippines, Smile Train partners with hospitals and surgeons to perform an average of 14 cleft surgeries every day. “Our goal is to give every underprivileged Filipino child born with a cleft the opportunity for a brighter future,” Flaviano added.

For details, call or text 0917-52-TRAIN (0917-5287246).