Roma Downey

With the monthly support of Smile Partners, Operation Smile's volunteer medical teams are changing the lives of thousands of children worldwide each year, children like three-year-old Ngan from Vietnam.

Ngan means “star” in Vietnamese. But this little star did not shine for the first three years of her life. Because she was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate that marred her otherwise beautiful face, she lived in shame and isolation. Other children would not play with her. Her family thought she had been cursed.

But when Ngan was three, everything changed. Her parents, poor rice farmers, heard about Operation Smile. They traveled by bus and foot for 24 hours on the chance their daughter would be given surgery they could never afford. They arrived late on the screening day, tired and hopeful. To their great joy, Ngan was chosen, and in a 45-minute procedure Operation Smile repaired her cleft lip.

One year later, her cleft palate was repaired on a return trip to Vietnam during the 2003 mission. Now Ngan shines with happiness that all can see whenever she smiles. She has finally been accepted in her village, and has friends to play with. Her life has been completely transformed.

The support of monthly Smile Partners and other donors helped make it all possible!