By Lisa Crist | Director of Dev. & Marketing
Mia's Story
Mia won the hearts of the Global Smile Foundation (GSF) team in 2017 when she was only 6 months old. From the moment she walked into screening day, Mia was a happy and energetic little girl who captured the team's hearts.
Mia's parents didn't know that their daughter would be born with cleft because prenatal care is limited for most women in Ecuador. Sadly, her mother didn’t see Mia’s beautiful face until 5 days after her birth because she was distraught by her daughter's cleft lip and palate.
Once mom saw her daughter, it was love at first site and she describes the moment as magical, “I saw my daughter and my daughter saw me, and all my fears went away."
Like many infants born with cleft, Mia had a hard time feeding properly, and wasn't sleeping well or thriving. Her mom was desperate until she heard about GSF. Since they came to our outreach program in Ecuador that year, Mia has undergone a lip surgery and a palate surgery, and now receives dental care, speech therapy, and psychosocial support.
Mia is growing up with a healthy smile and hasn't lost her spirit due to bullying or teasing. We are so happy to see her every year!
Your support makes stories like Mia's possible! When our patients receive comprehensive cleft care, both they - and their families - are able to live healthier and more hopeful lives.
Thank you for your support in 2023 and changing the lives of our patients.
Our next outreach program to Ecuador will begin March 5, 2024. Take a look at our 2024 Project here.
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