When Akkarawit ‘Beam’ Prakaen was born with a cleft lip, his parents feared they would not be able to afford the surgeries needed to treat their son.

Akekapop was born with a cleft lip that his parents thought might earn the little boy teasing at school

Originally the mother felt very guilty – maybe she worked too hard, didn’t eat the right food.

The family desperately wanted her to be healed but did not know what to do.

Oat’s appearance frightened his 38-year-old mother, who did not expect her son’s cleft lip, cleft palate and feet deformity.

Face’s mother was acutely aware of the suffering her daughter would certainly encounter as she grew older

When Thipyarat was born with a cleft, there was almost no hope that she would ever be able to get the operation she needed to give her a normal life.

When Folksong was born in Amnatcharoen with a cleft lip and palate, his parents vowed to do all they could to help their son.

They have been “passively” harassed by friends and family. Many family members jokingly said to the mother “Your baby is incomplete?”

I believe that happiness from giving and compassion are engraved on one’s heart and are more valuable than superficial physical and mental happiness.

The real magic of Operation Smile’s work is witnessed here. A five-year-old patient with a double cleft can be running around within an hour or two of coming out of anesthesia. Days of trepidation and worry transform into a life-long smile in a matter of hours.

This impressive meeting has reinforced my confidence of the positive impact to those children in need through volunteering in this medical charity network.

It was a very emotional experience to witness the miracles the staff performs and I will never forget seeing for the first new smile after surgery.

As a mother myself seeing a young mother breaking down to her fears and submitting to tears of joy seeing her son transformed into this new look is simply overbearing even for me to handle yet a rewarding sight.

I joined this mission thinking I will help change children’s lives, but it also changed my life forever.

I do believe that each of us has a good heart inside but just only what, when or how we can express it out. To me, I realize that there are still many children or people having difficulties in even living.

After seeing the children on screening day then during/after surgery was something that will stay in my heart forever and drives my passion to continue to raise awareness for children and adults who deserve to smile with confidence.

ฉันเชื่อว่าเราแต่ละคนมีจิตใจดีภายใน เพียงแต่ว่าเราจะมีโอกาสแสดงออกมาได้เมื่อไหร่และอย่างไร สำหรับตัวฉันเองแล้วเข้าใจว่ายังมีเด็กๆ และผู้คนอีกมากมายที่เผชิญปัญหาในการดำรงชีวิต