Sharing Smiles is one of our beneficiaries supported by the Generosity Champions (formerly 1908 Society). This program provides healing and hope to disadvantaged children in selected countries through quality health care, education and training. By partnering with host country health care providers and civic leaders, we create smiles in three ways: by providing cleft lip and palate treatment, comprehensive dental care and individualized pediatric rehabilitation programs. These lasting legacies ensure that children receive the care they need to live happy, hopeful lives.
Due to restrictions during the pandemic, Sharing Smiles chose to financially support our cleft partners in Bolivia instead of traveling in 2020. We were able to fund 150 cleft lip and palate surgeries performed by our partners on the ground in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
One of the patients that benefitted from Sharing Smiles’ support is Flor Quenaya. Flor was born on October 7, 2020 as the youngest of six siblings. Flor’s parents are quinoa and potato farmers in the cold climate of Potosí, Bolivia at an altitude of over 13,000 feet. Since her family lived in such a remote area, they could not easily access hospital care.
Unfortunately, Flor suffered from severe malnutrition and her parents had to seek treatment at the Nutritional Recovery Center in the city of Cochabamba, about 300 miles from home. After months of care, baby Flor reached a healthy weight, and was able to be scheduled for cleft lip surgery on April 23, 2021. Sharing Smiles partner Dr. Eligio Arciénega Llano and his team performed a successful surgery and afterward, Flor and her family returned to their home in the mountains, where Flor is thriving and continues to receive virtual post-operative support!
Sharing Smiles has transformed the lives of more than 26,000 people by providing free facial reconstructive surgery, pediatric dentistry and pediatric rehabilitation services. Generous donors and volunteers give the gift of a new smile to children in developing countries and help local health care providers establish long-term care. For information, contact Call407-303-9406 or go to www.adventhealthsharingsmiles.com.
