Latest news with #cleftpalate
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Smile Train Launches World Cleft Awareness Day to Unite Global Cleft Community
Today, Sunday, July 20, 2025, Marks the Inaugural Observance NEW YORK, July 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused organization, announces the launch of World Cleft Awareness Day, the first officially recognized global day on the calendar dedicated to raising awareness about cleft lips and palates. The inaugural observance is taking place today, Sunday, July 20, 2025, aligning with National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month. World Cleft Awareness Day shines a spotlight on the entire cleft journey—from diagnosis at birth or before, through surgeries, speech therapy, orthodontia and dental care, emotional support and beyond. The goal is to increase understanding, reduce stigma, foster inclusion and amplify the voices of the millions of people around the world affected by clefts. 'World Cleft Awareness Day is about more than raising awareness—it's about celebrating the strength and resilience of the global cleft community,' said Susannah Schaefer, President & CEO of Smile Train. 'By founding and leading this observance, Smile Train is creating space for cleft-affected individuals and their families to be seen, heard and supported.' Worldwide, approximately 1 in 700 babies is born with a cleft lip and/or palate. While clefts are common and treatable, access to the years of comprehensive care required—from surgery to emotional and social support—remains out of reach for many. 'People often think of clefts as a single surgery, when in reality, the journey can last decades,' said Iva Ballou, Manager, Community Development for Smile Train. 'Being cleft affected, I've undergone numerous surgeries connected to my condition. World Cleft Awareness Day is an opportunity to educate the public and advocate for equal access to care for everyone, everywhere.' Smile Train will mark the day this year by launching a global awareness campaign that includes sharing powerful stories, engaging media, leading social media activations, and encouraging individuals, communities, and organizations to participate. In support of these efforts, Smile Train will provide a free World Cleft Awareness Day toolkit with logos, messaging and social media assets to help partners and supporters amplify the message. While Smile Train is leading this initiative, World Cleft Awareness Day is a shared platform. Medical professionals, nonprofits, corporate partners, influencers and—most importantly—patients and their families are encouraged to become involved. 'Our vision is for World Cleft Awareness Day to grow into a widely observed annual event that inspires action, kindness and connection around the globe,' said Troy Reinhart, Smile Train's Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Ambassador Development. 'Together, we can break down barriers and build a future where no one is held back because of a cleft.' To learn more about World Cleft Awareness Day, Smile Train's initiatives and the lives of cleft-affected children, visit About Smile Train: Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit Media Contact: Nicole Bell | Public Relations [email protected] | (646) 829-0996 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Smile Train
Washington Post
03-06-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
Harrison Ford wants the Operation Smile award honoring his friend to inspire others to give more
Harrison Ford will receive an award for his philanthropy Tuesday night from the global surgery and training nonprofit Operation Smile. But the star of the 'Indiana Jones' and 'Star Wars' film franchises, as well as this year's 'Captain America: Brave New World,' says all the attention should go to the award's namesake – Ford's friend, the late humanitarian and noted plastic surgeon Dr. Randy Sherman. Like Ford, Sherman, who was director of the Cedars-Sinai Division of Plastic Surgery in Los Angeles and a specialist in reconstructive surgery who developed numerous training programs, was an avid pilot and they bonded when they shared the same home airport. Sherman told Ford of his volunteer work with Operation Smile, providing cleft palate surgery to children in countries where access to such services is limited, and Angel Flight West, which provides free medical transportation to patients. 'The things that he contributed to my life and to my family's lives are beyond anybody's wildest imagination,' Ford said of Sherman, who died in 2023 when his plane experienced engine failure and crashed in New Mexico. 'He was a very important person to me and, by the way, to all of the people that he's associated with in the medical community. All of them recognize his selfless service.' Dr. Billy Magee, Operation Smile's chief medical officer, called it a joy to honor both men, pointing out that Sherman was a leader in cleft palate care and 'a driving force behind Operation Smile's work to expand access to surgical care closer to patients' homes, even in the most remote corners of the world.' 'This award celebrates the spirit of compassion and dedication that both Harrison and Dr. Sherman embody,' said Magee, who recently announced Operation 100, which will equip 100 cleft operative teams in 100 hospitals around the world. 'I can't think of a more deserving recipient to carry that legacy forward.' The Associated Press recently spoke with Ford about receiving the Dr. Randy Sherman Visionary Award from Operation Smile and how he hopes it will inspire others to give what they can. The interview was edited for clarity and length. A: When the earthquake in Haiti struck (in 2010), I reached out to Randy and asked if he thought there was anything that we could do with an airplane that I had, which was particularly suited to the kind of work that's done in these circumstances. He very quickly organized a mission with Operation Smile and he met me and my pilot, who was working for me at the time, Terry Bender. We flew my Cessna Caravan to Miami and picked up supplies and medical professionals -- doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists -- and flew to Port-au-Prince. We flew missions to bring supplies and medical personnel to a community called Hinche, in the highlands of Haiti, a town that had no airport but did have a field that we were able to land the aircraft in. We were there for about a week, going back and forth each day to Hinche to bring in supplies. A: Well, I didn't consider it to be dangerous. I considered it to be an opportunity to be able to use something that I had that was needed. The issue in Haiti was that when people were injured in the urban setting, there were no resources to treat them. They were then transported to the community that they grew up in… It was such a (expletive) in Port-au-Prince when we got there. Nobody knew what was going on. But we knew there was a hospital in Hinche that was staffed by two Cuban doctors and they had no supplies, no anesthetics. And because of the delay in assets reaching them, there were a lot of people suffering amputations and other very significant medical issues. A: Pilots are good citizens. They're involved. They really are aware in many, many cases of the contributions they can make with their resources and their skills… This is not all altruism. We do want people to understand the positive values of general aviation and what they bring to a community. The freedom to fly in the United States is unequaled around the world, to my understanding. And the preservation of that freedom is really important to me and others. So we want to demonstrate our positive contribution to the community. A: I think it gets attention when it needs to be recognized -- not my work, but the issues I'm talking about. I've been working in conservation for 35 years with an organization called Conservation International. We work internationally, as the name suggests. The only work we do here in the United States is fundraising. And we're under enormous threat now with the rise of nationalism and isolationism and all of the (expletive) that we're suffering. A: Of course. Yes. Members of the Republican Party and the administration had been enthusiastic about the importance of funding international conservation. In the last 10 years, we have had a real, substantial contribution from USAID addressing and mitigating issues that have suddenly disappeared from our moral flowchart. It just (expletive) disappeared. It's a travesty. It's a tragedy. A: Unfortunately, we will not be able to do that because we don't have extra funds to distribute. We don't have the structures of a scientific community that have been established and nurtured and cultured over the years. They've been dissolved. We can't do it. A: I hope so. I hope it motivates some people to recognize they will have to create new mechanisms of funding and support. But we're also disavowing science. We're in such a fragile point of inflection here… There will be moments when all of us will be called upon to think about these things again and to make our individual efforts to address the imbalance of the situation that now exists. There are many people upset with this stuff. But will we coalesce around these things and become a political constituency, a moral army? ______ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit .
The Independent
03-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Harrison Ford wants the Operation Smile award honoring his friend to inspire others to give more
Harrison Ford will receive an award for his philanthropy Tuesday night from the global surgery and training nonprofit Operation Smile. But the star of the 'Indiana Jones' and 'Star Wars' film franchises, as well as this year's 'Captain America: Brave New World,' says all the attention should go to the award's namesake – Ford's friend, the late humanitarian and noted plastic surgeon Dr. Randy Sherman. Like Ford, Sherman, who was director of the Cedars-Sinai Division of Plastic Surgery in Los Angeles and a specialist in reconstructive surgery who developed numerous training programs, was an avid pilot and they bonded when they shared the same home airport. Sherman told Ford of his volunteer work with Operation Smile, providing cleft palate surgery to children in countries where access to such services is limited, and Angel Flight West, which provides free medical transportation to patients. 'The things that he contributed to my life and to my family's lives are beyond anybody's wildest imagination,' Ford said of Sherman, who died in 2023 when his plane experienced engine failure and crashed in New Mexico. 'He was a very important person to me and, by the way, to all of the people that he's associated with in the medical community. All of them recognize his selfless service.' Dr. Billy Magee, Operation Smile's chief medical officer, called it a joy to honor both men, pointing out that Sherman was a leader in cleft palate care and 'a driving force behind Operation Smile's work to expand access to surgical care closer to patients' homes, even in the most remote corners of the world.' 'This award celebrates the spirit of compassion and dedication that both Harrison and Dr. Sherman embody,' said Magee, who recently announced Operation 100, which will equip 100 cleft operative teams in 100 hospitals around the world. 'I can't think of a more deserving recipient to carry that legacy forward.' The Associated Press recently spoke with Ford about receiving the Dr. Randy Sherman Visionary Award from Operation Smile and how he hopes it will inspire others to give what they can. The interview was edited for clarity and length. Q: How did you get to know Dr. Sherman? A: When the earthquake in Haiti struck (in 2010), I reached out to Randy and asked if he thought there was anything that we could do with an airplane that I had, which was particularly suited to the kind of work that's done in these circumstances. He very quickly organized a mission with Operation Smile and he met me and my pilot, who was working for me at the time, Terry Bender. We flew my Cessna Caravan to Miami and picked up supplies and medical professionals -- doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists -- and flew to Port-au-Prince. We flew missions to bring supplies and medical personnel to a community called Hinche, in the highlands of Haiti, a town that had no airport but did have a field that we were able to land the aircraft in. We were there for about a week, going back and forth each day to Hinche to bring in supplies. Q: What made you want to be a part of that — a dangerous mission under tough circumstances? A: Well, I didn't consider it to be dangerous. I considered it to be an opportunity to be able to use something that I had that was needed. The issue in Haiti was that when people were injured in the urban setting, there were no resources to treat them. They were then transported to the community that they grew up in… It was such a (expletive) in Port-au-Prince when we got there. Nobody knew what was going on. But we knew there was a hospital in Hinche that was staffed by two Cuban doctors and they had no supplies, no anesthetics. And because of the delay in assets reaching them, there were a lot of people suffering amputations and other very significant medical issues. Q: What was it like to see philanthropy in action in that moment? It's an example of something that the government is not going to handle. If the nonprofit doesn't do it, it doesn't get done. A: Pilots are good citizens. They're involved. They really are aware in many, many cases of the contributions they can make with their resources and their skills… This is not all altruism. We do want people to understand the positive values of general aviation and what they bring to a community. The freedom to fly in the United States is unequaled around the world, to my understanding. And the preservation of that freedom is really important to me and others. So we want to demonstrate our positive contribution to the community. Q: You don't talk about your philanthropy much, especially what you do to fight climate change. Do you feel that should get more attention? A: I think it gets attention when it needs to be recognized -- not my work, but the issues I'm talking about. I've been working in conservation for 35 years with an organization called Conservation International. We work internationally, as the name suggests. The only work we do here in the United States is fundraising. And we're under enormous threat now with the rise of nationalism and isolationism and all of the (expletive) that we're suffering. Q: Does that make your work even more pressing? Especially with the cuts to USAID that previously funded environmental work? A: Of course. Yes. Members of the Republican Party and the administration had been enthusiastic about the importance of funding international conservation. In the last 10 years, we have had a real, substantial contribution from USAID addressing and mitigating issues that have suddenly disappeared from our moral flowchart. It just (expletive) disappeared. It's a travesty. It's a tragedy. Q: Will Conservation International do something differently this year to make up for those cuts? A: Unfortunately, we will not be able to do that because we don't have extra funds to distribute. We don't have the structures of a scientific community that have been established and nurtured and cultured over the years. They've been dissolved. We can't do it. Q: Do you hope the Operation Smile award and the attention that comes with it will convince some people to donate more? A: I hope so. I hope it motivates some people to recognize they will have to create new mechanisms of funding and support. But we're also disavowing science. We're in such a fragile point of inflection here… There will be moments when all of us will be called upon to think about these things again and to make our individual efforts to address the imbalance of the situation that now exists. There are many people upset with this stuff. But will we coalesce around these things and become a political constituency, a moral army? ______ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit
Associated Press
03-06-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Harrison Ford wants the Operation Smile award honoring his friend to inspire others to give more
Harrison Ford will receive an award for his philanthropy Tuesday night from the global surgery and training nonprofit Operation Smile. But the star of the 'Indiana Jones' and 'Star Wars' film franchises, as well as this year's 'Captain America: Brave New World,' says all the attention should go to the award's namesake – Ford's friend, the late humanitarian and noted plastic surgeon Dr. Randy Sherman. Like Ford, Sherman, who was director of the Cedars-Sinai Division of Plastic Surgery in Los Angeles and a specialist in reconstructive surgery who developed numerous training programs, was an avid pilot and they bonded when they shared the same home airport. Sherman told Ford of his volunteer work with Operation Smile, providing cleft palate surgery to children in countries where access to such services is limited, and Angel Flight West, which provides free medical transportation to patients. 'The things that he contributed to my life and to my family's lives are beyond anybody's wildest imagination,' Ford said of Sherman, who died in 2023 when his plane experienced engine failure and crashed in New Mexico. 'He was a very important person to me and, by the way, to all of the people that he's associated with in the medical community. All of them recognize his selfless service.' Dr. Billy Magee, Operation Smile's chief medical officer, called it a joy to honor both men, pointing out that Sherman was a leader in cleft palate care and 'a driving force behind Operation Smile's work to expand access to surgical care closer to patients' homes, even in the most remote corners of the world.' 'This award celebrates the spirit of compassion and dedication that both Harrison and Dr. Sherman embody,' said Magee, who recently announced Operation 100, which will equip 100 cleft operative teams in 100 hospitals around the world. 'I can't think of a more deserving recipient to carry that legacy forward.' The Associated Press recently spoke with Ford about receiving the Dr. Randy Sherman Visionary Award from Operation Smile and how he hopes it will inspire others to give what they can. The interview was edited for clarity and length. Q: How did you get to know Dr. Sherman? A: When the earthquake in Haiti struck (in 2010), I reached out to Randy and asked if he thought there was anything that we could do with an airplane that I had, which was particularly suited to the kind of work that's done in these circumstances. He very quickly organized a mission with Operation Smile and he met me and my pilot, who was working for me at the time, Terry Bender. We flew my Cessna Caravan to Miami and picked up supplies and medical professionals -- doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists -- and flew to Port-au-Prince. We flew missions to bring supplies and medical personnel to a community called Hinche, in the highlands of Haiti, a town that had no airport but did have a field that we were able to land the aircraft in. We were there for about a week, going back and forth each day to Hinche to bring in supplies. Q: What made you want to be a part of that — a dangerous mission under tough circumstances? A: Well, I didn't consider it to be dangerous. I considered it to be an opportunity to be able to use something that I had that was needed. The issue in Haiti was that when people were injured in the urban setting, there were no resources to treat them. They were then transported to the community that they grew up in… It was such a (expletive) in Port-au-Prince when we got there. Nobody knew what was going on. But we knew there was a hospital in Hinche that was staffed by two Cuban doctors and they had no supplies, no anesthetics. And because of the delay in assets reaching them, there were a lot of people suffering amputations and other very significant medical issues. Q: What was it like to see philanthropy in action in that moment? It's an example of something that the government is not going to handle. If the nonprofit doesn't do it, it doesn't get done. A: Pilots are good citizens. They're involved. They really are aware in many, many cases of the contributions they can make with their resources and their skills… This is not all altruism. We do want people to understand the positive values of general aviation and what they bring to a community. The freedom to fly in the United States is unequaled around the world, to my understanding. And the preservation of that freedom is really important to me and others. So we want to demonstrate our positive contribution to the community. Q: You don't talk about your philanthropy much, especially what you do to fight climate change. Do you feel that should get more attention? A: I think it gets attention when it needs to be recognized -- not my work, but the issues I'm talking about. I've been working in conservation for 35 years with an organization called Conservation International. We work internationally, as the name suggests. The only work we do here in the United States is fundraising. And we're under enormous threat now with the rise of nationalism and isolationism and all of the (expletive) that we're suffering. Q: Does that make your work even more pressing? Especially with the cuts to USAID that previously funded environmental work? A: Of course. Yes. Members of the Republican Party and the administration had been enthusiastic about the importance of funding international conservation. In the last 10 years, we have had a real, substantial contribution from USAID addressing and mitigating issues that have suddenly disappeared from our moral flowchart. It just (expletive) disappeared. It's a travesty. It's a tragedy. Q: Will Conservation International do something differently this year to make up for those cuts? A: Unfortunately, we will not be able to do that because we don't have extra funds to distribute. We don't have the structures of a scientific community that have been established and nurtured and cultured over the years. They've been dissolved. We can't do it. Q: Do you hope the Operation Smile award and the attention that comes with it will convince some people to donate more? A: I hope so. I hope it motivates some people to recognize they will have to create new mechanisms of funding and support. But we're also disavowing science. We're in such a fragile point of inflection here… There will be moments when all of us will be called upon to think about these things again and to make our individual efforts to address the imbalance of the situation that now exists. There are many people upset with this stuff. But will we coalesce around these things and become a political constituency, a moral army? ______ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit
Malay Mail
03-06-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Superhero parents raising children with cleft lip and palate — Aufa Dahlia Bahar and Noorhidayah Zainal Aalam
JUNE 3 — When Sarah first saw her son, Adam, in the delivery room, her heart filled with love — and uncertainty. Born with a cleft lip and palate, Adam's tiny face bore the marks of a condition that would come to define his early years. Have you ever felt grateful for how beautifully our faces and lips are designed to support our lovely smiles? Our smiles frame our faces, enabling us to eat, speak, and function normally. However, some individuals like Adam are less fortunate. They are born with a gap in their lips, gums, or even the roof of their mouths. This congenital condition is known as cleft lip and palate, which can vary in severity. A cleft can affect the lips, the palate, or both, and the gaps may even extend to the nose. For Sarah and thousands of other parents across the world, that first moment wasn't the beginning of fear. It was the birth of something heroic. Globally, 1 in 700 babies is born with this condition and 1 in 941 births in Malaysia. This condition primarily impacts the physical appearance and function of the child, necessitating long-term, multidisciplinary care. While much research has concentrated on the children themselves, the experiences of their parents, who play a central role in care, are frequently overlooked. Our team of researchers at Universiti Malaya assessed the mental health of parents with cleft lip and palate and found that mothers particularly suffer from distress. Raising a child with a cleft condition is not just about surgeries and speech therapy. It's about resilience, redefining beauty, and championing a child's right to smile freely. And it turns out, the ones donning invisible capes in this story are not the doctors or even the children, though they are undoubtedly brave. It's the parents, the quiet warriors who rise to a challenge they never anticipated. The first diagnosis is a collision of joy and fear. Most cleft conditions are diagnosed during routine prenatal scans. For many parents, this news shatters the illusion of a textbook pregnancy. 'I felt like I had failed before he was even born,' Sarah recalls. 'But then I realised this wasn't about me. It was about how I would rise to meet his needs.' Some may only be diagnosed shortly after birth. Imagine how devastated the parents must feel upon receiving this news. Some even blame themselves for what happened. In that moment, these parents begin a journey that demands relentless advocacy. They must become experts in medical jargon, navigate insurance nightmares, coordinate teams of specialists, and make gut-wrenching decisions about surgery timelines and feeding methods — all while nurturing a child who may be misunderstood by the world. Children with cleft lip and palate often undergo multiple surgeries before their teenage years. Each one requires parental courage: to hand over their child to surgeons, to manage pain afterwards, and to balance hope with realism. But perhaps the greatest reconstruction is not surgical. It's emotional. 'Kids pick up on everything,' says Ahmad, father to seven-year-old Zara. 'You have to model confidence. That means looking at your child and seeing beauty, not difference.' These parents become the first and fiercest line of defence against bullying, stigma, and self-doubt. They coach their children on how to answer insensitive questions and cheer louder than anyone at speech therapy milestones. And they do all this while managing the normal chaos of parenting — diapers, tantrums, and endless snacks. These parents also know the power of language and love. One of the quiet battles parents fight is over the language used to describe their children. 'We're not 'fixing' our son,' says Daniel, father of five-year-old Alex. 'He's not broken. We're helping him be heard, be seen, be whole.' This perspective is crucial. In a society obsessed with symmetry and perfection, children with cleft conditions — and their families — often feel pressure to hide or conform. But superhero parents push back. They post proud photos, they start support groups, and they challenge social media algorithms that favour filtered beauty. They are not just raising children. They are raising awareness. But the secret superpower? Community. One common thread among these families is the deep reliance on community — both online and offline. Organisations like the Cleft Lip & Palate Association Malaysia (CLAPAM) and other local cleft support groups offer not just medical aid, but emotional lifelines. On the tertiary level, active research activities have been done to understand their needs and find new ways to help these families. Recently, our team found that parents of Malay ethnicity, parents with higher education levels and higher levels of income, have a significantly better quality of life. Hence, future projects could identify certain groups of parents in need to enhance their quality of life and support the well-being of these parents. Through these networks, parents trade advice on bottle types and surgical centres, share tearful late-night updates, and celebrate tiny victories: the first time their child blows bubbles, sings, or says 'mama' with clarity. In these spaces, the capes get passed around. Sometimes, it's one parent lifting another who's momentarily weary. Sometimes, it's a child whose resilience reminds the adults what true strength looks like. We often think of superheroes as those who leap tall buildings or shoot lasers from their eyes. But real heroism looks like a mother spending sleepless nights researching feeding techniques, or a father holding his daughter's hand in a pre-op room while whispering, 'You are perfect.' It looks like choosing joy in the face of fear. Like fighting not just for a smile, but for a world that will accept it without question. Children born with cleft lip and palate are not broken. Their parents are not merely caregivers; they are architects of empathy, warriors for dignity, and builders of futures. In the month of June, we celebrate two important events to honour their journey. Since 2012, the United Nations has designated June 1 as the Global Day of Parents. This special day recognises all parents for their selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifices in nurturing this relationship. Each year, CLAPAM and our dedicated undergraduate dental students join forces for the Cleft Lip and Palate Charity Run (CLAP Run), a fundraising event to support these remarkable children and their superhero parents. In conjunction with the theme for Global Parents Day 2025 observed annually on 1st of June, 'Raising Parents,' let us come together to celebrate and honour these superheroes for their dedication to raising their extraordinary children! If you or someone you know is parenting a child with a cleft condition, you are not alone. Support is available through nationwide organisations like the Cleft Lip & Palate Association Malaysia (CLAPAM) and local communities. You are doing heroic work. * Dr Aufa Dahlia Bahar is a Lecturer and Orthodontist, while Dr Noorhidayah Zainal Aalam is a Lecturer and Paediatric Dentist, at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
