Hi, I'm Nicholas, a high school teenager and part of Smile Train's student ambassador program, an organization introduced to me by my dad who has raised funds for SmileTrain in past years. Here is a brief explanation on why I joined the program and the causes and effects of clefts:
A cleft is a birth defect that leaves an opening in a baby's upper lip or palate. This is formed when the tissues that form a baby's upper lip or palate/roof of the mouth were not fully merged together during the development in the womb. Apart from being visually noticeable, a cleft also heavily affects one's ability to perform basic life functions like eating and speaking. Some people around the world who suffer from having a cleft are not financially able to pay for the necessary surgery in order to restore their smile. This is where the SmileTrain organization comes in to play, me and other ambassadors raise money, which SmileTrain then collects and uses these funds to pay for the life-changing surgeries for the poverty stricken families all across the globe that suffer from a cleft palate(s). Each surgery costs $250, meaning with my goal of $750, three lives would be saved with your help. Any sort of donation would be greatly appreciated, as it is one step closer to saving a person's life and smile.
https://www.mysmiletrain.org/campaign/Saving-Smiles-and-Lives