Hello Everyone,
My name is Swara Rege and I am a sophomore at Northville High School. My inspiration to be part of the Smile Train organization started during my trip to India in the summer of 2022. During this trip, I had the opportunity to visit the surgery center of my uncle who is a practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Mumbai, India. I saw several before and after pictures of kids born with cleft lip/ palate. Through a conversation with my uncle, I learnt that though the cleft surgery is relatively simple there are several underprivileged kids across the globe who have to live with this condition throughout their lives. Not only do these kids live in isolation due to the associated social stigma but they also have difficulty eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. Being a teenager, I understand how one’s smile can affect his or her confidence and I was determined to help these kids in whatever way I could in the future.
My uncle introduced me to the Smile Train organization which provides training, funding, and resources to empower local doctors in 70+ countries to provide 100% free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities. This year, as part of my IB personal project, I selected this topic to learn more about cleft lip/ palate and maxillofacial surgery and lead a community event to spread awareness about clefts. I was also fortunate enough to have been accepted into Smile Train's Student Ambassador Program which will give me an excellent platform to actively be attached to this great cause and raise funds to sponsor surgeries for cleft patients.
No amount is too small to make a difference and I truly appreciate any contribution you can make to support this great cause.
Thank you,
Swara Rege
https://www.mysmiletrain.org/campaign/SwaraRege