Empowering Dental Professionals Across the Globe

“Individuals born with a cleft require various types of dental and orthodontic treatments throughout their lifetime. This webinar series is reflective of our continued commitment to empowering local medical professionals and enabling them to provide safe, quality and timely cleft care for cleft-affected individuals who depend on us.” ~Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train Vice President, South East Asia

Empowering Dental Professionals Across the Globe

Smile Train and GSK Consumer Healthcare Support Cleft Orthodontics Webinar by the Association of Philippine Orthodontists. Empowering Dental Professionals Across the Globe.

The world’s leading cleft-focused organization, Smile Train and GSK Consumer Healthcare supported a three-day Comprehensive Cleft Care Webinar series organized by the Association of Philippine Orthodontists (APO).  

There were 518 participants from 26 countries registered for the webinar series. The highly informative online sessions featured discussions on various stages of cleft treatment for a child born with a cleft, with particular focus on the cleft orthodontics.  The impressive panel of speakers included oral and maxillofacial surgeons, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, pediatric dentists, orthodontists, prosthodontist, speech pathologist, and pediatrician, who have many years of cleft and craniofacial experience. Many of the speakers work or have been trained at Smile Train’s partner, the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation of the Philippines.   

Also joining the panel was Dr. Alvaro Figueroa, a member of Smile Train’s Global Medical Advisory Board. With more than forty years of experience in treating patients with complex dental problems and craniofacial anomalies, Dr. Figueroa shared his extensive knowledge on orthognathic surgery and treatment protocols for cleft and craniofacial patients.

“GSK Consumer Healthcare is proud to partner with Smile Train to increase awareness about clefts. Together we are committed to helping more people born with clefts to gain access to quality healthcare and to advance cleft care across the world.” ~Emerson Aguinaldo, General Manager, Southeast Asia and Taiwan, GSK Consumer Healthcare

To date our partnership has delivered 13,500 life changing cleft surgeries, training for over 8,800 healthcare professionals, and supported 38,000 families.

In 2021, with the support of GSK Consumer Healthcare and Smile Train, the World Dental Federation (FDI) released Oral Health Guidelines for comprehensive cleft care.    

“This webinar series enables orthodontists, and other cleft professionals, not only in the Philippines but in other countries to learn more about the specialized field of cleft orthodontics, and ensure they gain the necessary skills to support cleft-affected individuals. We are proud to work with Smile Train and GSK Consumer Healthcare, and thankful for their continued support as we strengthen the knowledge and capacities not only of our member dentists but also share that knowledge with our fellow practitioners across the region.” ~Dr. Janet Pandan, President of the Association of Philippine Orthodontists

For more information about the GSK Consumer Healthcare Smile Train partnership click here: https://www.gsksmiles.com/en-us/. To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on Instagram, and like us on Facebook. And you help spread the smiles by donating to Smile Train here: www.smiletrain.org. 

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 smiletrain.org.

About GSK / GSK Consumer Healthcare

GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. We have three global businesses: pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products.

Our world-leading Consumer Healthcare business combines science and consumer insights to create innovative everyday healthcare brands that consumers trust and experts recommend for oral health, pain relief, cold, flu and allergy, digestive health and vitamins, minerals and supplements. We own some of the world’s best loved healthcare brands including Sensodyne, Parodontax, Polident, Volatren, Panadol, and Centrum.

About APO

The Association of Philippine Orthodontists is a specialty organization founded on the ideals of promoting and setting a high standard of excellence in orthodontic treatment and education. The APO is committed to its role in the comprehensive management of cleft patients and has continuously provided support to the orthodontic needs of cleft patients with Noordhoff Craniofacial Philippines since 2005. Its partnership with Smile Train since 2019 strengthens and reinforces its contribution to the rehabilitation of the cleft patient in collaboration with other specialists.

Providing Smiles All-Year-Round: Smile Train Elevates Comprehensive Cleft Care for Filipinos in Need

“Throughout last year, we wanted our beneficiaries to know that Smile Train services are ongoing and have never stopped. We want our patients to know that hope is not lost. While we stay at home for everyone’s safety, Smile Train worked hard to innovate and create programs to reach more Filipinos in need. We’re coming into 2022 with the determination to help more people in need. Despite the challenges of the current times, Smile Train continues to innovate and improve access to comprehensive cleft care for the tens and thousands of Filipinos depending on us.” ~Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train Vice President, South East Asia

Smile Train - Providing hope all-year-round

By leveraging technology to ensure access to much-needed services, Smile Train also enabled more medical professionals to offer telehealth consultations and speech therapy sessions.  

As the global pandemic approaches its third year, there is no denying that COVID-19 has been everyone’s paramount health concern. However, as many continue to live with the pandemic, Smile Train recognizes that children born with a cleft lip and/or palate still face serious health implications from this condition. Smile Train Philippines shares their achievements with 2,500 cleft surgeries in 2021 -- 750 more than in the previous year. 

For many Filipinos, the pandemic caused a temporary disruption to their lives due to mobility restrictions. However, through the first Filipino Speech Therapy App by developed by Smile Train and its Speech Telehealth Program, patients can continue to receive their treatment and guidance from healthcare professionals in the comfort and safety of their homes. 

The Speech Therapy App is a free mobile application, designed to help patients who have received surgery for their cleft palate. Since its launch in 2021, the application has reached an audience of 50,053 Filipinos for continued treatment and services. The app also features a wide array of educational videos and speech therapy sessions in Filipino, with features and content for young patients. The application is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

On the other hand, Smile Train’s Telehealth program connects patients and guardians to healthcare practitioners for consultations, health education, and assessments via WhatsApp, Skype, and Zoom, on any device. This program has provided patients with more than 2,000 cleft care-related sessions, covering speech therapy, nutritional support, breastfeeding guidance for mothers of babies with clefts, pre-surgical consultations, and psychosocial care.

Aside from continued treatment for current patients, Smile Train endeavors to reach more cleft-affected individuals and their families in need. In the first quarter of 2021, the charity launched Cleft Con Philippines, the first-of-its-kind conference, streamed through Smile Train Philippines’ official Facebook page. Cleft Con was a  series of discussions from experts who discussed various aspects of cleft care, such as breastfeeding babies with a cleft, oral hygiene tips, surgery, the importance of speech therapy and building one’s self-confidence.  

With the successful launch of Cleft Con Philippines, the charity, in partnership with RMN Foundation and Radio Mindanao Network, launched Cleft Con Radio, a series of discussions covering comprehensive cleft care that aired in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro. 

Another milestone for Smile Train is the launch of its first Comprehensive Cleft Center in Cebu. Located at ARC Hospital in Lapu-Lapu City, the center aims to make cleft care services more accessible to individuals and families in the region. 

While the charity organization expanded its reach and services, Smile Train Philippines also continues to support medical professionals involved in providing cleft care by offering them education and training opportunities for developing their skills further and exchanging best practices with other experts around the world. By supporting cleft professionals, cleft-affected individuals and their families can ultimately receive safe, high-quality, and timely care throughout the year. 

Smile Train has proven its steadfast commitment to a vision of a world where Filipinos have access to free comprehensive cleft care and can live a healthy life. As the pandemic continues to worry Filipinos, receiving comprehensive cleft care can be one less worry with Smile Train Philippines. 

For more information about Smile Train’s global efforts and to donate, please visit smiletrain.org. To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Smile Train’s First Filipino Speech Therapy Language App

“Technology has allowed us at Smile Train to deliver the speech therapy needs of children with cleft throughout this pandemic. Safety is our foremost priority, and I am glad that this app allows us to safely serve the needs of these kids in the comfort and safety of their own homes.” ~Kimmy Flaviano, Smile Train’s South East Asia Director

Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity, stands by its commitment to continue promoting comprehensive cleft care despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic with the launch of its online speech therapy services. With Smile Train Southeast Asia Director - Kimmy Flaviano. Hosted by Nina Corpuz, and will also be attended by Ms. Veronica Yu, Speech-Language Pathologist, faculty at the University of Sto. Tomas, and a partner of Smile Train. We’d be glad to share with you all the exciting features this app has to offer as well as the various opportunities this app can bring, not only for individuals who were born with a cleft palate but also for those who need speech-language therapy.

For the thousands of babies born with a cleft each year, speech therapy is an essential need. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has disrupted access to speech therapy services. Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity, stands by its commitment to continue promoting comprehensive cleft care despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic with the launch of its online speech therapy services. 

With telehealth emerging as an important pillar of healthcare delivery in the Philippines, Smile Train Philippines is launching the very first Filipino mobile speech application in the country designed for those who were born with a cleft. The app was developed to help parents, guardians, and children in accessing speech therapy services online. With kid-friendly features and lively graphics, the app leads to a wide array of educational videos and speech therapy sessions, all in Filipino.  The app also serves as a platform for more patients and families affected with cleft to connect with healthcare professionals to ensure that they can continue to receive comprehensive cleft care with minimal disruptions.

Since the start of the pandemic, Smile Train’s speech telehealth program in the Philippines has treated over 200 patients, providing them with more than 1,000 cleft care-related sessions— including speech therapy, nutritional support, breastfeeding guidance for mothers of babies with clefts, pre-surgical consultations, and psychosocial care. Smile Train envisions the app to be more than just a platform for learning, seeing it as a way to bring more smiles to cleft-affected families in the Philippines.

The Smile Train app also addresses a glaring gap in reaching kids with a cleft.

“With the app, distance is no longer a problem. Kids may start their speech therapy sessions which they otherwise would not have started without the app. Furthermore, the app encourages more Speech Pathologists to partner with Smile Train,” said “Partnering with Smile Train is life-changing, and I know that the Smile Train app will give many speech pathologists the fulfillment of knowing that they are making a difference in people’s lives.” ~Ms. Veronica Yu, a Speech Pathologist and the Lead Content Creator of the app.

“With or without the pandemic, digitalization of health services is definitely important as it allows patients to access health services in a more cost-effective way. This is precisely what the Smile Train speech app is trying to accomplish, providing hundreds of families with cleft access to speech therapy services at little to no cost at all, wherever they may be.” ~Jeo Paz, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nifty Hero

Nifty Hero is the developer of the Smile Train app, advocating to help non-profit organizations in creating sustainable, cost-effective, and value-added health solutions to help organize, automate, and improve services offered.

The app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play in April. For more details about the app, visit http://smiletrainspeechapp.com/. For more information about Smile Train Philippines’ local efforts and to refer a patient in need, visit smiletrain.ph/get-help, follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram, and like them on Facebook.

 

Riz Cabrera, Baguio-based Artist, launches online art auction for Smile Train Philippines

“When I came across the Smile Train website, I was deeply moved by their advocacy. While I initially wanted to just be a channel of blessings for the patients, my goal was to raise awareness for this generation, specifically to those dealing with mental health issues just like myself. Although we all have our own personal problems and trials, if we would just look beyond ourselves, we can still be a message of hope to somebody. I believe that focusing on helping other people is therapy itself and partnering with Smile Train rekindles hope within me. ART ignites HEART. Nowadays, especially with the ongoing pandemic, we spend most of our time browsing or surfing the internet. I believe that the eyes are the windows of the soul. As an Artist, I have this obligation to penetrate souls with Love, Faith, and Hope through my art. Helping charities like Smile Train through arts can definitely move people to reach out.” ~Riz Cabrera, Baguio-based Artist

Beautiful charcoal drawings featuring Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray, Smile Maker Marian Rivera and patients by Riz Cabrera

Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity invites everyone to share the gift of smiles this holiday season. Visual artist, Riz Cabrera, has partnered with Smile Train to raise awareness for children born with a cleft through the launch of her online art auction which she hopes can contribute to sustaining Smile Train’s goal to provide children the urgent support and care needed.

Some of her paintings include Smile Makers Catriona Gray and Marian Rivera are all up for auction. More information can be found below and attached for your reference and use.

Every day, 540 babies are born around the world with this serious health condition – preventing them not only from smiling, but also posing difficulties in eating, breathing, and speaking. Through the auction, Riz hopes to help fund the surgeries and therapies that could transform the lives of Filipino cleft patients.

Visual artist, Riz Cabrera

For Riz, her passion for painting was ignited by hardships and these hardships have taught her to focus on helping others. This is why she is using her craft to help charities such as Smile Train. 

“Smile Train continues to advocate for individuals born with cleft and to providing free surgery and comprehensive cleft care to them and we look forward to partnering with various individuals who believe in our shared goal. We are grateful for the work Riz has done and continues to do for the benefit of Smile Train and we look forward to this generation to join our cause and act on behalfof children born with a cleft lip and/palate.” ~Kimmy Flaviano, Smile Train South East Asia Director 

This Christmas, you can bring a smile to the lives of people by supporting the auction. Check out https://www.32auctions.com/smile2020 to view the artworks. The auction runs until 24 December. Donations are also accepted on the site.  You may also follow Riz through her Facebook and Instagram accounts. For more information about Smile Train Philippines’ local efforts and to refer a patient in need, visit smiletrain.ph/get-help, follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram, and like them on Facebook.

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 smiletrain.ph. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact philippines@smiletrain.org.

Smile Train with Southeast Asia Director Kimmy Flaviano and Medical Partners

Smile Train recently launched virtual speech therapy sessions with its volunteer Ms. Veronica Yu CSP-PASP, a Speech-Language Pathologist and a faculty member of the University of Sto. Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences. The world’s leading cleft organization, Smile Train Philippines recently held a virtual speech therapy session with its Global Ambassador, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, in an effort to reach and continue educating more patients with a cleft lip and/or palate amid the enhanced community quarantine.

The session was well received as it allowed viewers to ask questions about their family members experiencing difficulties with their conditions. With the support and collaboration of its donors, partners, and ambassadors around the world, Smile Train is able to transform the lives of patients with cleft and help improve their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. Even during the ECQ, Smile Train continues to find sustainable solutions such as social media to help their beneficiaries.

Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity, aims to further its mission in providing free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children in need throughout the Philippines and the world.

A new Beepcard design with Smile Trains details to add to your collection with a cause with Marian Rivera on the card and a cleft patient.

Every day, 540 babies around the world are born with a cleft which is a serious health condition with potentially life-threatening complications such as difficulty eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. 

With Dr. Edmund Mercado, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, and Ms. Giorgia Danga Speech-Language Pathologist

Dr. Edmund Mercado, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

Ms. Giorgia Danga Speech-Language Pathologist

With Dr. Nikki Salvano-Valencia, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Dela Salle University Medical Center Ms. Veronica Yu, Speech-Language Pathologist, Faculty, University of Santo Tomas, College of Rehabilitation Science.

With the support and collaboration of its donors, partners, and ambassadors around the world, Smile Train is able to transform the lives of patients with cleft and help improve their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. Even during the ECQ, Smile Train continues to find sustainable solutions such as social media to help their beneficiaries.

Along with its medical partners, Smile Train Philippines would like to raise awareness and share ways in which communities can help these children smile and live a normal life.  

For more information about Smile Train’s global efforts and to donate, please visit smiletrain.org. To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph.

To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on  FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact philippines@smiletrain.org.

Smile Train Launches PSA with Global Ambassador Catriona Gray for National Cleft Awareness Month

“When I met children and their parents, I saw how grateful they were for the help they received. I felt an incredible motivation to continue raising awareness for Smile Train. Working with Smile Train has given me a great avenue to use my voice and make a difference in the lives of children born with a cleft. Can you believe that there were more than1,000 Filipino babies born with a cleft since community quarantine began in the Philippines? Through this PSA I hope that parents will know that Smile Train is there for them.” ~Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2018 and Global Ambassador, Catriona Gray, Smile Train

Catriona Gray first worked with Smile Train during her reign as Miss Universe. Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity, continues to provide comprehensive cleft care services for individuals in need in the Philippines and in 90+ countries around the world. With the help of their Global Ambassador, Catriona Gray, Smile Train launched a Public Service Announcement (PSA) in recognition of National Cleft Awareness Month.

A baby is born with a cleft every three minutes, even during this unfortunate time. With this, Smile Train, the world's leading cleft organization, continues to work hard to provide assistance and cleft care services to Filipino individuals with cleft around the country.

In line with National Cleft Awareness Month, through a Public Service Announcement (PSA) with Global Ambassador Catriona Gray, we hope we can knock on many people's hearts to lend a hand in this great cause as well as give comfort to families with relatives with a cleft that Smile Train is here for them. 

(https://www.facebook.com/SmileTrainPhilippines/videos/275415790452628/) With a baby born with a cleft every three minutes, even during a pandemic, it is Smile Train’s hope that more patients and their families will know that Smile Train is here to help them.

In March of this year, Ms. Gray was in La Union during a screening for cleft patients hosted by the provincial government. Recently, she participated in a public online discussion with Smile Trainon speech therapy where viewers learned about the challenges to produce sounds and words for children born with a cleft.

Smile Train continues to provide comprehensive cleft care services around the country even as community quarantine is in place. 

For more information about Smile Train Philippines’ local efforts and to refer a patient in need, visit smiletrain.ph/get-help. Follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram, and like them on Facebook.

*Photo credits to http://www.techbeat.ph/, https://push.abs-cbn.com/, https://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/, https://news.abs-cbn.com/.

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 smiletrain.ph. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact philippines@smiletrain.org.

Global Ambassador Catriona Gray Joins Online Speech Therapy Sessions for Cleft Patients Smile Train

“I was able to work closely with Smile Train for the first time during my reign as Miss Universe and it inspired me to help the organization change the lives of many people around the world. Now as the newest global ambassador, I am committed to supporting its patients in the Philippines during this pandemic through the organization’s online speech therapy classes.” ~Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2018, and Smile Train Global Ambassador

Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray joins the organization’s online Speech Therapy session to reach and educate more patients with cleft lip and palate amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Smile Train recently launched virtual speech therapy sessions with its volunteer Ms. Veronica Yu CSP-PASP, a Speech-Language Pathologist and a faculty member of the University of Sto. Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences. The world’s leading cleft organization, Smile Train Philippines recently held a virtual speech therapy session with its Global Ambassador, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, in an effort to reach and continue educating more patients with a cleft lip and/or palate amid the enhanced community quarantine.

The session was well received as it allowed viewers to ask questions about their family members experiencing difficulties with their conditions. With the support and collaboration of its donors, partners, and ambassadors around the world, Smile Train is able to transform the lives of patients with cleft and help improve their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. Even during the ECQ, Smile Train continues to find sustainable solutions such as social media to help their beneficiaries.

She led the discussion on the effects of cleft disability on speech and the impact of feeding difficulties on the physical well-being of children. Ms. Yu also demonstrated her patients’ progress on proper pronunciation, which they were able to accomplish during the separate one-on-one online therapy sessions.

In her welcome message, Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray acknowledged the efforts of the organization to continue providing free comprehensive cleft care including speech therapy, while free surgeries and physical therapy sessions are on hold. She plans to support Smile Train’s upcoming initiatives during the ECQ.

Smile Train Volunteer Ms. Veronica Yu, CSP-PASP, a Speech Language Pathologist, faculty member of the University of Sto. Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences, explored topics about the effects of cleft on speech and its impacts on the physical well-being of children.

With the support and collaboration of its donors, partners, and ambassadors around the world, Smile Train is able to transform the lives of patients with cleft and help improve their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. Even during the ECQ, Smile Train continues to find sustainable solutions such as social media to help their beneficiaries.

“Smile Train has always been committed to exploring various avenues and utilizing technology to reach more patients and communities in the Philippines, especially during this ECQ. With the support of Catriona, we hope to reach more patients and families so that we can continue to provide them with the care that they need, even during a pandemic.” ~Kimmy Flaviano, Smile Train South East Asia Director

Smile Train plans to hold more sessions in the coming weeks to address concerns of patients or parents about receiving cleft treatment during this time and talking about staying positive and productive during the ECQ. 

For more information about Smile Train’s global efforts and to donate, please visit smiletrain.org. To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph

To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on  FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact philippines@smiletrain.org.

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. 

“Glad® To Give Smiles” Family Fair to Raise Awareness and for Children with Clefts

“As part of the Glad^®-to-Give Smiles program, we held this family fair to help raise awareness and funds for Smile Train and babies born with clefts. “This program is the product of our long-standing relationship with Smile Train, as well as the company’s commitment to helping more consumers, including children and their families. Glad thrives on feasts and celebrations, especially during the Holiday and what better way to reinforce this message by bringing back the smiles of children affected with cleft lip and palate so they too can have happier mealtimes this Christmas.” ~Mr. Paulo Lao, Sales and Marketing Director for Southeast Asia of The Clorox Company, which owns Glad^®

Glad to Give Smiles Family Fair with Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu. Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity, has partnered with food storage maker Glad Philippines for the fourth year in a row to spread smiles and love to more children and their families.

The world’s leading cleft charity, Smile Train, and food storage and cooking solutions provider Glad® Philippines recently held the Glad®-To-Give Smiles Family Fair to help spread smiles to Filipinos this Christmas season.

“I am very proud to be a part of this meaningful campaign this holiday. It is an honor for me to help raise funds and awareness about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines.” ~Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu, Glad^®'s Ambassador 

Smile Train Area Director for Southeast Asia Kimmy Flaviano presents a plaque of appreciation to Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu for her support to Smile Train Philippines. From left to right: Kimmy Flaviano, Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu, Glad Philippines Sales and Marketing Director for Southeast Asia, and Ms. Suzi Abrera.

The Glad®-To-Give campaign is Glad®’s global corporate social responsibility platform. This year, the Glad®-To-Give Smiles Family Fair was filled with fun activities, delicious food stations and a cooking demonstration prepared by Glad®'s Ambassador, Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu. 

The program was hosted by Ms. Suzi Abrera.  Other supporters include The Medical City, Alveo Land, Beyond® Yoga, Swell Sweets Cake Lab, and Ms. Natalia Santamaria Escano, who performed with Smile Train beneficiaries during the program.  Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Smile Train’s cleft programs in the Philippines.

 

Approximately 5,000 new babies with clefts are born every year in the Philippines. Without access to proper cleft treatment, these babies often have difficulty eating, breathing, speaking, and ultimately thriving. Smile Train’s sustainable model empowers local medical professionals with training and resources to provide 100 percent-free, quality, comprehensive, and safe cleft care to children in need in their own communities. 

For more information about Smile Train's global efforts and to make a donation, please visit smiletrain.org. To learn more about Smile Train’s programs in the Philippines, follow Smile Train on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and on FACEBOOK.

To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.