Help the cleft surgery expenses of a poor child by Mission Smile

10 beneficiaries were impacted through this program, in the location in Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Jharkhand

Mission Smile in this period did 100+ surgeries every month with many camps and outreach programs in the above given locations. We are grateful that with this support 10 patients were supported for surgery cost of the patients.

Kihung's story is one of resilience and hope despite living in a remote village of Assam where access to healthcare is limited. Born with a cleft lip, he faced social stigmatization and discomfort from a very young age. His parents were unable to provide any explanation for his condition, leaving Kihung feeling isolated and alone. However, his father's determination to help his son led him to the primary health center where he was informed about the Mission Smiles Cleft Surgery program. Kihung's parents decided to bring him to Guwahati, where Mission Smiles is based, for his treatment. Kihung underwent a successful cleft lip surgery in July 2022. The transformation was remarkable, and Kihung was elated with the outcome. Kihung's story highlights the impact of Mission Smiles in providing critical surgical interventions to underserved communities.

With the help of your support we were able to support this child and provide free cleft surgery in our comprehensive cleft care centre in Guwahati. We provide comprehensive cleft care including surgery, nutrition, dental, patient stay, transportation for our patients.

We have completed more than 1000+ plus surgeries across India in last 6 months. We had 6 Medical Mission in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Sikkim and Gujarat.

Over this period, we have impacted 1500 direct beneficiaries and 3500 in direct beneficiaries. Our program has positively impacted cleft patients both physically and psychologically fighting taboos and improving health status of the committed.

Covid 19 and the challenges it brought for all the programs like ours were the major hurdles we faced. Also ever-increasing backlog cases in India for cleft surgeries. For next 6 months we will be doing 1000+ surgeries across India.

Major challenges faced:

1. Taboos associated with cleft children
2. Lack of Awareness around Cleft
3. Identification of cleft patients
4. Mobilization of cleft patients to hospitals and centers

We are poised to do 1500+ surgeries across India through our delivery models and impacted 2500+ cleft children.

Niraj and his wife Nilam were shocked to learn their growing baby had a cleft lip during a routine ultrasound. At their home in Lakhimpur, Assam, the couple spent weeks worried and wondering how to care for a baby with this condition. The first time they heard about it in the hospital waiting area, they were shocked. They anxiously awaited the birth of their first child. However, they knew this baby would suffer more with a more complicated condition.

Their son Harsh was born with a severe case of cleft lip. Once the initial relief wore off, the reality began to sink in. Their son was different. After birth, the deformity causes issues with feeding, eating, breathing; this makes it challenging to breastfeed or drink from a bottle. But local doctors help us with feeding techniques. But fortunately, everyone behaved normally, and they got support from neighbours as well. They always pampered and played with him.

Harsh’s parents are unaware of the particular cause. They didn’t know the scientific reason, but they thought there may be some lack of care during the pregnancy period. Harsh’s father had a small business, being in which they could not even imagine being able to afford the treatment. But their family and relatives were supportive; they gave them hope that it’s just a deformity, no need to worry, and can be healed. For the baby’s treatment, they went to NHM, Assam, and from there, they got to know about Mission Smile, which provides free cleft lip and palate treatment and surgeries. They were very excited about the surgery and were very hopeful towards Mission Smile.

He had his first surgery at only 10 months old. Surgeons repaired his lip, and after the surgery, it looked so good. The experienced and knowledgeable team helped the parents in preparing for the surgery of the child. Mission Smile will do everything to do for the baby’s cleft surgery because we believe in doing what we can, where we are, with what we have. Our team encourages you to do a random act of kindness for children so that when they grow up, they can live a blessed and compassionate life as well. We thank our volunteers and donors who came forward to make it possible to give magical smiles to children suffering from cleft lip and cleft palate.

Mission Smile gifted more than 500 surgeries to cleft kids. We are also happy to share we were able to resume our Medical Missions in various location like Kolkata, Vizianagaram and Tripura. With our outreach centers across 6 different locations we providing comprehensive and safe cleft care.

Major operational challenges came during the pandemic and we have accordingly made safety protocols in-lines with WHO guidelines. We are planning to conduct more than 500+ surgeries in January to March 2022.

Niraj and his wife Nilam were shocked to learn their growing baby had a cleft lip during a routine ultrasound. At their home in Lakhimpur, Assam, the couple spent weeks worried and wondering how to care for a baby with this condition. The first time they heard about it in the hospital waiting area, they were shocked. They anxiously awaited the birth of their first child. However, they knew this baby would suffer more with a more complicated condition.

Their son Harsh was born with a severe case of cleft lip. Once the initial relief wore off, reality began to sink in. Their son was different. After birth, the deformity causes issues with feeding, eating, breathing; this makes it challenging to breastfeed or drink from a bottle. But local doctors help us with feeding techniques. But fortunately, everyone behaved normally, and they got support from neighbors as well. They always pampered and played with him.

Harsh’s parents are unaware of the particular cause. They didn’t know the scientific reason, but they thought there may be some lack of care during the pregnancy period. Harsh’s father had a small business, in which they can not even imagine being able to afford the treatment. But their family and relatives were supportive; they gave them hope that it’s just a deformity, no need to worry, and can be healed. For the baby's treatment, they went to NHM, Assam, and from there, they got to know about Mission Smile, which provides free cleft lip and palate treatment and surgeries. They were so excited about the surgery and were very hopeful towards Mission Smile.

He had his first surgery at only 10 months old. Surgeons repaired his lip, and after the surgery, it looked so good. The experienced and knowledgeable team helped the parents in preparing for the surgery of the child. Mission Smile will do everything we can to do for the baby’s cleft surgery because we believe in doing what we can, where we are, with what we have. Our team encourages you to do a random act of kindness for children so that when they grow up, they can live a blessed and compassionate life as well. We thank our volunteers and donors who came forward to make it possible to give magical smiles to children suffering from cleft lip and cleft palate.

We have completed more than 100+ surgeries and gifted smiles in the past six months. We have, through our Centre of Excellence GC4, Guwahati, and through our Centre's activities, spread smiles across the northeast. We have done 10 surgeries in our AIIMS Rishikesh center and 30+ surgeries in centers of Vadodara, Orissa and Pondicherry. Each comprehensive cleft surgery changed the lives of the kids by giving them smiles. With cleft care, we are eliminating the social stigma attached to the cleft. We have adapted to the COVID-19 times and are providing much-needed nutritional support to our community. We have enrolled more than 100+ kids in past 6 months in our program. We have been also distribution kits to our beneficiaries.

COVID-19 has impacted our operations, as during lockdown elective surgeries were affected. This has resulted in a cleft backlog. We have created strict protocols for surgeries. Constant monitoring has helped us inch towards normalcy. CSR funds from most PSUs have dried up and they are only supporting causes directed through various Ministries.We have made support group within organization which helps us in monitoring our activities and follow protocols to eliminate any risk of covid19We aim to conduct 3 surgical medical Missions to do 200+ surgeries and 300+ surgeries through our comprehensive cleft center and ORCs across India.

Stories from the ground:Jahnabi is a six-month-old brave little girl born in Kamrup, Assam. Her parents had anxiously awaited the birth of their only child. But little did they know that Jahnabi would be born with cleft lip. Her parents were proud of their first child irrespective of her condition. But still, they were anxious to help their baby.Jahnabi struggled to breastfeed or drink from a regular bottle as an infant since she could not establish good suction with her mouth. Families and relatives hesitated to take the baby on their lap, which hurt the parents very much. Petty comments and judgments hurt her mother, Sikharani’s confidence, and they thought their daughter’s cleft resulted from their bad karma. Then, her parents began looking for a possible treatment for their daughter.Jahanbi’s father, Ratul, visited several hospitals, all of which wanted outrageous fees for cleft surgery that they couldn’t afford. Finally, he came to know about Mission Smile and decided to approach us. Our doctors thoroughly examined her and guided her parents about the Cleft Correction procedure.When we told them that the cleft treatment for their daughter would be 100% free of cost, they could not believe it. Our surgical team head operated on Jahnabi’s cleft lip. We were delighted to see the dazzling smile on her face after the operation, and we enjoyed seeing her bloom and anticipate the girl she would become.

Mission smile, with all your help and donations was able to change and provide free comprehensive cleft care surgeries across India to needy ones. We have delivered more than 38000+ safe surgeries till date.

The Cause - Cleft deformities deprive children of a life of dignity and opportunity. Though cleft is a corrective deformity, yet access to quality care and treatment is very low. Without adequate treatment these children struggle to speak, eat, and participate in society. Trapped within their own bodies, they lose out on education and livelihood opportunities, and remain in the periphery of their society, deprived of basic human dignity.

Mission Smile provides its services through the following modes of delivery:

•    Medical Missions – A location is chosen and volunteers from India and abroad spends 10 days making it possible to conduct medical evaluation and surgeries, followed by post-operative check-up. Till date Mission Smile has conducted 100 medical missions and treated 8000 plus patients in India.
  

  
  



•    Outreach Centres – Mission smile has 6 centres in Orrisa, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rishikesh, Puducherry and Vadodara in partnership with local hospitals. Mission Smile Credentialed surgeons and experts, with approved equipment and infrastructure have performed close to 10, 000 surgeries through the ORCs.
  

  
  



•    Guwahati Comprehensive Cleft Care Centre (GC4) - Mission Smile has created a Unique Public Private Partnership in collaboration with the State Government(s), National Health Mission and corporate partners towards creating a ‘Cleft Free’ India. A dedicated comprehensive cleft care centre provides all necessary and associated care, 24x7, under one roof encompassing surgery, nutrition, child life counselling, speech, dentistry and ENT.
  

  
  

All Our Kids are Covid Safe !!

Mission Smile aims at brining smile to faces of the children with providing them with surgery for cleft lip one such story we would like to share is that of Senrik who came to us when he was just a year old. His two elder brothers had born perfectly healthy. Senrik, however, was born with a cleft lip which shocked his parents.
Senrik’s parents were further informed that their youngest baby also had a cleft palate. His parents were initially very worried for his well-being, especially as the condition was not common in the family and the parents had never come across a situation like this. They were also concerned about the reaction of their friends and family.Senrik’s family and the community, however, did not ostracise the child. In a show of sympathy and understanding, which is rare in such cases, everyone was eager to meet the newborn and help his parents. They assured the family that the problem is common and can be cured.Senrik’s paediatrician informed his parents about the free and comprehensive cleft care offered by Mission Smile at our Guwahati centre.Upon arriving at the centre, Senrik’s parents were surprised to see so many children like their little son who had come for their cleft lip treatment. They were amazed to see wonderful care provided at the centre. Senrik was examined and selected for surgery. A year later when he returned for a post-surgery check-up, his lip and palate had healed completely. He can now eat properly and is growing into a wonderful and lively child. His mother is very happy with her son’s transformation and she thanks Mission Smile for this miracle.

Program Update

Mission Smile brings all medical equipment, drugs and medical consumables that are needed for surgery. The project is divided into three parts - Screening - where potential candidates are selected 2. Surgery week 3. All patients come back to the hospital a week after the surgery for a one-week post-operative evaluation.The funds raised was used to identify children with cleft in villages through awareness drives, as well as to mobilise them to the nearest centre. Once at the centre, the kids are screened for understanding their fitness for surgery. Free surgery and comprehensive care is provided to kids who are found fit for surgery.

Story from the field

Miriam, a 3 year 8 months old little girl who had to bear fathomless pain and anxiety from her birth due to her blindness in one eye and defect in her other eye together with a severe cleft lip and palate deformities. The only good news for the unfortunate child was that her mother stood strong, giving her shelter and support in spite of non-cooperation and ill-treatment from their relatives and even the community at large! the baby was taken to the ICU due to medical complications and was kept for 21 days, the first few of those days being critical to her survival. Her mother wasn’t informed either for the first few days about her child’s blindness and cleft deformities.Miriam was brought to GC4 by her mother where due to her underweight she was first denied surgery and was suggested to be put on a nutrition plan by our doctors. On their second visit to the GC4, during screening for surgery, Miriam showed a few symptoms of illness for which the surgery had to be postponed. She kept visiting GC4 with Miriam for 18 times and every time certain health problems came in the way preventing the surgery. Hers’ was a critical case and needed special care. Finally, on her 18th visit during Difficult Cases Week of GC4 Miriam was screened by Swedish doctors, who had come to volunteer, and was selected for surgery. The international surgery team decided to operate on Miriam in two separate phases. The first phase of the surgery was done during Difficult Cases Week this year and happy mother went back with her child with a deformity partially removed. The second phase was performed the second surgery on 6th Sept’18. The remaining deformity was restored to an amazingly satisfied level. She is now presentable and a happy child with full of confidence. The parents were filled with teary eyes when they saw her child smiling like never before.
Moriam is scheduled for a third minor surgery after a 6 month gap. This surgery is planned to beautify her face,gifting her the final life changing deformity restoration. Her parents, who had at one time given up hope on her child’s survival has started planning for her future. They are determined that effort spent on her will not go in vain. They have been blessed with free treatment, they are determined to work hard and spend on her education, making her a strong woman and able to give back to the society through her knowledge and dedication.

Program Update

The funds raised was used to identify children with cleft in villages through awareness drives, as well as to mobilise them to the nearest centre. Once at the centre, the kids are screened for understanding their fitness for surgery. Free surgery and comprehensive care is provided to kids who are found fit for surgery.

The center in Guwahati also undertakes medical missions throughout North East to identify needy cleft children for corrective surgeries. Special screening camps are organized to select cleft children for life changing surgeries. The patients are selected from the screening camps undergoing medical tests to judge their fitness for surgeries. Especially, they are also provided free dental care and speech therapy who need teeth alignment. Free nutritional care is also provided to children suffering from nutrition problem.

Since 2011, more than 19,000 safe corrective surgeries have been conducted by the centre. It has become a centre of excellence in Comprehensive Cleft Care not only in India but also in the world.

Story from the field

Jili is a 1 year old infant who was born with severe cleft condition. She was born with a gap in her lip, as well as palate (which is the roof of the mouth that separates our oral cavity from nasal chamber). With such a condition, feeding Jili was a real challenge for her mother Anowara. That is the reason why Jili was around 7 kg of weight when she was brought to the Guwahati Centre, when she was a year old. Malnourishment continues to plague these children and the org started their nutrition program for kids like Jili.
Her parents were aware about the corrective surgery for Jili from the hospital she was delivered but the cost was too much for Surman who earned rupees three thousand working as a wage labourer. They had given up all hopes when they heard about safe and comprehensive cleft surgery and care available free of cost at the centre.
Jili was admitted on 10th October and was successfully screened by the Paediatrician and Surgeon and admitted for surgery. Jili underwent a corrective lip surgery by Dr. Hiteswar Sarma. Her parents were delighted to see Jili, after her surgery. Their beautiful daughter looked more beautiful. The parents were counselled on how to take care of the stitches and how after a few days the pain in her lips would subside fully and her lips would be joined as any other child.
Your donations helped Jili's parents provide the much needed surgery for their daughter. They may not remember your name but they will always remember what you did for them and Jili.
The org would soon be meeting Jili again after a few months when she comes back for her palate corrected and they look forward to meeting her soon and your donations can help Jili completely recover from her condition.