I am 1 in 600. And I believe that every cleft-affected person in this world deserves the opportunity to survive and thrive as I have.
In 1994, I was born with a cleft lip and palate, which means that my entire lip and the roof of my mouth did not fuse during fetal development. Since then, I have had 30 years of life-saving care and treatment which has included 15+ surgeries, orthodontic care, ENT care, and psychosocial and speech therapy. For every year of care I have had, millions of others have gone without. Leading up to my 30th birthday next year, I hope to help at least 30 cleft-affected people around the world get the life-saving surgeries and follow-up treatment they need, and I need your help to do so.
What does 1 in 600 mean? Every three minutes, a baby is born with a cleft lip and/or palate. That's around 10 million people who are living with a form of cleft lip/palate today. Presently, almost five million people live with an untreated cleft, leaving them susceptible to a number of potentially life-threatening conditions, including an increased risk of malnutrition. Many people with clefts around the world live in isolation and have difficulty eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. Access to treatment is crucial to their quality of life.
You may have heard the adage "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." Smile Train was founded with the understanding that empowering local healthcare professionals with education, training, and resources, as well as the opportunity to train others in turn, would strengthen local health systems and make high-quality cleft care accessible 365 days a year. Since its first surgery in 1999, Smile Train has brought life-saving cleft surgeries to more than 1.5 million people across 70+ countries — more than every other cleft-focused INGO combined.
I recently joined the Smile Train Young Leadership Circle (YLC), a group of young professionals committed to furthering Smile Train’s cause. As a YLC member, I am able to fundraise for Smile Train and spread awareness about this amazing organization that not only impacts countless cleft-affected people around the world but has also deeply impacted me and others cleft-affected people in the US. I hope you will consider donating whatever amount you are able to my campaign, and sharing with your networks to help me reach my goal. I know I and other cleft-affected people around the world are grateful for your support. Together we can change the world one smile at a time!
https://www.mysmiletrain.org/campaign/1-in-600