October 6 is World Smile Day, a day devoted to smiles and acts of kindness and to celebrate, I am fundraising for Smile Train to help give smiles to children in need. Smile Train is an international children’s charity that provides free surgery to poor children suffering from cleft lip and/or cleft palate. 

Their work and mission are very close to my heart, as I too was born with a cleft lip and palate. Whereas I was fortunate to receive all the care I needed, for thousands of children around the world comprehensive cleft care is not readily available due to poverty.  Last year I travelled to Guatemala to visit Smile Train clinics, doctors and patients and I was able to witness firsthand the life-changing impact of Smile Train's work. 

Children born with clefts cannot eat or speak properly, aren't allowed to attend school or hold a job and face very difficult lives of isolation, pain and heartache. Some children are even abandoned—all because of the way they look. Their clefts usually go untreated because they are too poor to afford the simple repair surgery that can take as little as 45 minutes and costs as little as $250 dollars.

But with your help, we can save these children and give them the life-changing surgery they both need and deserve.
Thank you for supporting my fundraiser with Smile Train-- together we can change the world one smile at a time!