Smile Train, Inc.
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Geographic areas served: 75+ of the world’s poorest countries
Mission:
Cleft lip and palate is the number one birth defect in most developing countries. 133,000 babies are born every year in developing countries with a cleft lip and/or palate. The vast majority of these children will never receive surgery. Thus, the backlog of children with unrepaired clefts in the world increases dramatically every year.
Today, the backlog of unrepaired clefts in the world is over 5,000,000. More than two thirds of these are poor children in developing countries who have little to no chance of ever receiving corrective surgery.
Although it is a birth defect, cleft lip and palate is an economic problem not a medical one.
The cure for clefts a simple, quick, inexpensive surgery (or series of surgeries) was discovered more than 50 years ago and it can completely solve the problem. This cure is readily available in all developed countries such as the U.S. and in Europe where every baby born with a cleft automatically receives cleft surgery a few months later and leads a completely normal life.
In developing countries, the vast majority of children born with clefts never receive surgery and the only reason for this is because they are poor.
Each and every child suffering in the world today with an unrepaired cleft can be helped with a simple, surgical procedure that takes as little as 45 minutes and costs as little as $250.
Helping these suffering children - children no one else will help - is the mission of The Smile Train.
Today, the backlog of unrepaired clefts in the world is over 5,000,000. More than two thirds of these are poor children in developing countries who have little to no chance of ever receiving corrective surgery.
Although it is a birth defect, cleft lip and palate is an economic problem not a medical one.
The cure for clefts a simple, quick, inexpensive surgery (or series of surgeries) was discovered more than 50 years ago and it can completely solve the problem. This cure is readily available in all developed countries such as the U.S. and in Europe where every baby born with a cleft automatically receives cleft surgery a few months later and leads a completely normal life.
In developing countries, the vast majority of children born with clefts never receive surgery and the only reason for this is because they are poor.
Each and every child suffering in the world today with an unrepaired cleft can be helped with a simple, surgical procedure that takes as little as 45 minutes and costs as little as $250.
Helping these suffering children - children no one else will help - is the mission of The Smile Train.
Results:
Since its beginning in 2000, Smile Train has provided more than 500,000 free surgeries for children who would otherwise never have received it.
viaholly
02/02/12
I was waiting in the doctor’s office for my appointment and came across a magazine article for Smiletrain. I was so touched I wanted to donate right away. I just wanted to quickly make sure it was a legitimate charity. After finding out how much the CEO makes a year it was actually possible ...
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pakua42
02/02/12
We must not discontinue our support of this incredible charity because of the CEO'S salary increase. I assure you the way he built up smile train, he deserves it. But think of it this way.....even if we assume (and there always are) that there is greed and waste within the charity, what if you were...
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diann mar
01/24/12
Is smile train aware that someone is calling and not saying anything then hanging up? i am getting these calls once a week and if they dont stop i am going to the better business . the reason i know it s mile train is because i tried calling the numbers back. there is no reason to do this ...
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