- Samantha Cameron, wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, and Smile Train Goodwill Ambassador, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, at a reception that took place in Downing Street to highlight the work of international cleft lip and palate charity Smile Train.
Samantha Cameron, the wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, praised the work of international cleft lip and palate charity, Smile Train, at a reception hosted to mark the occasion of the charity’s one millionth smile surgery.
Smile Train is an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. For the last 15 years, Smile Train has focused on providing the millions of children around the world born with clefts the same opportunities as a child born without a cleft by providing 100% free cleft lip and palate repair surgeries.
Globally renown actress and Smile Train Goodwill Ambassador, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, attended the event in support of giving children with clefts around the world new smiles and new hope for the future. Speaking at this very important juncture of completing one million cleft surgeries, she said: “There are so many of us who lead such blessed lives. I truly believe it’s time to share our blessings. Working with Smile Train, if I can make a difference in families’ lives, it will certainly make me feel honoured and blessed. There are a lot of children with clefts around the world who so desperately need help, but can’t receive timely care because their families cannot afford this surgery or are ill-educated about this condition. It’s time we smiled together in our lifetime – healthy and happy!”
Also present at the reception was Smile Train’s CEO, Susannah Schaefer. She commented: “The work Smile Train does is dependent on donations through corporate partners, fundraisers, independent donors and sponsors, and we are privileged to have some of the people who have supported Smile Train over the years with us today. Although we have helped more than one million children, there are still millions more with unrepaired clefts in the developing world who need our help. It is Smile Train’s mission to provide each one of these children with free cleft repair surgery and related treatment so every child can experience the true power of a smile.”