Smile Report – Summer 2022

Luz Clarita is a strong little girl who is surrounded by an equally strong family. Born with a cleft lip and palate in Las Rocas, Mexico, Luz Clarita was abandoned by her mother shortly after she was born. “Since she is the first niece in the family, we were very excited for her birth and became close to her just like we are with her father,” explained her aunt Roxana, “so we decided to help out.” 

Luz Clarita is being raised by her grandmother, two aunts, an uncle, and her father. 

Getting Luz Clarita the cleft care she needed was a priority for the family. A friend of her grandmother’s thought, “…there had to exist a charity that could help us out with a surgery for our girl. He started to do some research and found Operation Smile,” Roxana said. Through Facebook, he learned more about the surgery and care that Operation Smile provides to children with cleft lip and palate in Mexico. 

“He called the organization and found out there was going to be a surgical program in Guadalajara soon, so he booked an appointment, gave us the contact information and we called directly to confirm,” said Roxana. 

Roxana and Luz Clarita travelled 18 hours by bus to reach the surgical site in Guadalajara in September 2021. She and her family worked extra hours to afford the cost of the trip. Thankfully, Luz Clarita was healthy enough to receive surgery that repaired her cleft lip. 

“Everything went great,” said Roxana. “We are happy because the surgery was successful. I am speechless and I can’t find words to express how grateful I am with everyone at Operation Smile.” Roxana sent photos to Luz Clarita’s father as soon as it was possible. “He is very happy and eager to see her. We want to go back and show him her new smile.”

Maria discovered when she was five months pregnant that her baby would be born with a cleft lip and cleft palate. “Why me?” she remembers thinking, filled with fear. 

After he was born Sebastián could only be fed with a syringe. Maria researched the support she would need while still pregnant and was able to bring Sebastián to Operation Smile Mexico when he was just 10 days old. It was there that the first-time mother found the help for Sebastián she so desperately needed. 

“When I saw other people with the same condition as Sebastián, I was moved,” Maria recalls. “I knew I was not the only person going through this process.” 

Though he was too young for surgery at the time, Operation Smile partners like you ensured Maria received special feeding bottles so Sebastián could get the nutrition he needed. He received virtual speech therapy during the pandemic, and was eventually scheduled for his first cleft repair surgery in Puebla. 

“When they gave me the news that Sebastián would have his surgery, I felt very nervous, very excited… but very happy because I knew that afterwards everything would be different,” says Maria. As the mom handed her son to Operation Smile’s medical volunteers, she remembers thinking, “I am giving you almost everything I have.” 

Seeing Sebastián after his surgery was very emotional for Maria, who describes the experience as a complete change. Now the two-year-old’s smile shows his curious and playful nature. Maria is exceptionally grateful to Operation Smile partners for giving her family a new beginning. 

“Operation Smile is very humane, very caring, very noble… amazing people who give everything so we are well.” 

Maria discovered when she was five months pregnant that her baby would be born with a cleft lip and cleft palate. “Why me?” she remembers thinking, filled with fear. 

After he was born Sebastián could only be fed with a syringe. Maria researched the support she would need while still pregnant and was able to bring Sebastián to Operation Smile Mexico when he was just 10 days old. It was there that the first-time mother found the help for Sebastián she so desperately needed. 

“When I saw other people with the same condition as Sebastián, I was moved,” Maria recalls. “I knew I was not the only person going through this process.” 

Though he was too young for surgery at the time, Operation Smile partners like you ensured Maria received special feeding bottles so Sebastián could get the nutrition he needed. He received virtual speech therapy during the pandemic, and was eventually scheduled for his first cleft repair surgery in Puebla. 

“When they gave me the news that Sebastián would have his surgery, I felt very nervous, very excited… but very happy because I knew that afterwards everything would be different,” says Maria. As the mom handed her son to Operation Smile’s medical volunteers, she remembers thinking, “I am giving you almost everything I have.” 

Seeing Sebastián after his surgery was very emotional for Maria, who describes the experience as a complete change. Now the two-year-old’s smile shows his curious and playful nature. Maria is exceptionally grateful to Operation Smile partners for giving her family a new beginning. 

“Operation Smile is very humane, very caring, very noble… amazing people who give everything so we are well.”