Between teaching and completing her Master’s education, 24-year-old Carol is a proud volunteer with Operation Smile Malawi.
Long before she decided to dedicate her time to helping children born with cleft, Carol began her own cleft care journey over two decades ago. Growing up, she didn’t know much about cleft or why she had a cleft lip. Her parents explained that her lip looked different because she had fallen as a child. Carol would soon come to know that wasn’t the case.
At school, she was teased because of her appearance, often having to leave class to go home crying. Her classmates always made cruel comments about the way her lip and nose looked. And this bullying only intensified over time. Eventually, she developed a fear of people and became very reserved, afraid to engage with the world around her.
Finding Hope
But as she grew older, Carol discovered Operation Smile on social media and read about our global impact and community of medical volunteers. This was the moment when Carol realized, for the first time, that surgery could change her life.
When she announced her hope of getting surgery to her parents, they revealed they had attempted twice to get surgery for Carol — once when she was 3 months old and again at 2 years old. But at that time, the medical professionals they consulted lacked the specialized skills and training that Operation Smile’s care team provides.
Putting her confidence and trust in Operation Smile, Carol underwent a successful surgery in 2018 to treat her cleft lip. She felt her entire life transform, finally finding the confidence and strength to face the world with a bright new smile.
A New Dream
Before her surgery, Carol had never met another person with cleft. She always thought she was the only one enduring the unique challenges that come with having a cleft lip. But during the surgical program, she met so many patients, all with similar struggles to hers. This sparked an emotional connection, and Carol felt inspired by the compassionate volunteers and caring partners around her.
She decided she wanted to help transform children’s lives, so people could see the person behind the smile. The person they have always been.
Journey After the Transformation
On her new journey, Carol joined Operation Smile’s Women in Medicine surgical program in Malawi in 2022. Here, she shared her cleft story with a room full of people from fifteen different countries around the world, including the First Lady of Malawi — a moment she could never have imagined possible only a few years before. “Everyone has something that they are going through,” Carol said. “Maybe the cleft is visible, but that does not mean that you can’t do great things in life.”
And today, Carol is doing just that. She currently volunteers for Operation Smile, helping create lasting impact for others, knowing first-hand how cleft care can transform a life. She is proud to be part of a team that brightens children’s futures and gives them the confidence to smile.
Fueled by her own transformation, Carol continues to pursue education. She teaches, is working towards her Master’s degree and hopes to earn her Ph.D. in the future.
Carol is a true example of Operation Smile’s impact. Her message to children like herself is clear: never let anyone tell you that you deserve less out of life.
