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Patient Story Brazil

Meet Our Patients: Mossoró, Brazil

Patient Story Brazil

Meet Our Patients: Mossoró, Brazil

In 2017, 67-year-old Dona Maria received surgery during an Operation Smile Brazil medical mission. Photo: Marcelo Braga.

Our promise of improving health and dignity during the COVID-19 pandemic endures. We're helping front-line health workers stay safe, nourished and empowered to better serve their patients by providing life-saving supplies and equipment, as well as remote training to bolster their response. We’re also providing nutritional assistance, hygiene kits and virtual health services to support people and their health needs so they can thrive. If you can, when you can, help us keep our promise to care for children and create hope for tomorrow.

In the densely populated city of Mossoró, Brazil, Dona Maria spent her entire life living with an unrepaired cleft lip.

While she undoubtedly faced challenges and overcame obstacles because of her cleft, 67-year-old Dona Maria consistently dreamt of one thing.

Though seen by many as a simple pleasure, what she wished for most was to wear lipstick.

During a 2017 Operation Smile Brazil medical mission, Dona Maria passed her health evaluation and underwent her long-awaited surgery, feeling closer than ever to reaching that dream.

Photo: Marcelo Braga.

Moments after waking from the operation, Dona Maria felt eager to see her new smile.

After 67 years of living with a cleft condition, she proudly showed the entire medical volunteer team who were thrilled to be a part of that special moment. 

After allowing her lip to properly heal from surgery, Dona Maria could finally live out her dream of putting on red lipstick for the first time in her life.

Laine Paiva, a volunteer photographer for Operation Smile Brazil, was so moved by Dona Maria's story that she arranged a photo shoot with her, capturing images of her dreams becoming reality.

MAKE A GIFT

It takes as little as $240 and as few as 45 minutes to provide life-changing surgery and a bright, beautiful new smile to a waiting child.