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.