Ripple Effect: Angie’s Journey of Confidence, Care and Purpose 

One of the most rewarding aspects of our work at Operation Smile is seeing what happens over time when you create opportunities for a young child. In our Ripple Effect series, we introduce you to patients and volunteers whose journeys have led them to a life of creating a positive impact in their communities and beyond. 

Angie was born in La Ceiba, Honduras with a cleft lip and palate, a surprise to her family and doctors. Her family immediately sought help — committed to traveling any distance to find support.  

At 7 years old, Angie was introduced to Operation Smile. She had already undergone cleft lip and palate surgeries, but she had never received speech therapy or follow-up care. That changed with Operation Smile. 

Her care team focused on orthodontics, nutrition, psychosocial care and speech therapy. 

More Than a Smile 

Over time, comprehensive care improved not only her speech but her self-esteem. “Now I can smile freely and speak without people wondering what I’m trying to say,” she shared.  

For Angie, the psychological care she received was just as powerful. “Growing up with this condition in a community where it’s rare made me feel isolated. But Operation Smile gave me tools to grow with confidence.” 

She also found purpose in her family’s dedication to helping others. “Since I was born, my mom has always enjoyed volunteering and helping children,” Angie says. That’s how Operation Smile Honduras learned about her passion for volunteering and invited her mother to join the Acompañando Sonrisas program — a volunteer network that supports families with children that are born with cleft conditions through outreach and connects them to Operation Smile. 

It wasn’t long before Angie joined, too. “Every time I saw the volunteers at medical programs, I knew I wanted to be like them. I didn’t want to just sit and wait; I wanted to help.” Today, she and her parents are all Operation Smile volunteers. 

Finding Her Voice 

Angie is also a proud member of Cleft Connect Chat, a virtual community where young people with cleft conditions and parents of children with cleft conditions support one another. “It’s been a blessing. We meet every month, and I’ve made so many friends,” Angie shares excitedly. The program is run by Operation Smile Student Programs, which offers a number of ways for students to get involved. Last year, she attended her first International Student Leadership Conference (ISLC), another Student Programs initiative, where she gained inspiration and more leadership tools to continue her patient advocacy journey. 

Her personal growth lit a fire in her to help others — especially children who look up to her the way their parents once did. “Parents would look at me and say, ‘So this is how my child could be one day?’ That hope — that spark — is what inspired me to become a volunteer.” 

A Dream in the Making 

Today, Angie is 22 years old, a third-year medical student at the Catholic University of Honduras. Her dream is to become a maxillofacial surgeon.  

She once wanted to be a fashion designer. “It sounded more glamorous,” she laughs. “But the more I learned about my own care, the more I wanted to understand what doctors do. I wanted to be part of that team — the one that changes lives.” 

She wants to be the doctor who eases fears during medical programs, who takes the time to explain things in a comforting way. “Sometimes, when patients hear they’ll need surgery, it’s scary. But knowing what’s going to happen helped me. I want to do that for someone else.” 

A Voice for Others 

Being a patient advocate, Angie says, isn’t just about sharing your story. “It means being strong. It means walking alongside people who are going through what you once did. Sometimes they feel alone or ashamed. I want to be the person who says, ‘You’re not alone. I’ve been there. You can do this. Let me help you.’” 

Recently, Angie spoke on a panel at the Commission on the Status of Women, hosted by Operation Smile. She shared her experience as a patient and advocate, explaining how access to surgery and comprehensive care gave her the opportunity to become who she is today and inspired her to pursue a career in medicine to continue that ripple effect of positive impact in her community.  

Looking Ahead 

Reflecting on her journey, Angie is filled with gratitude — for the care that gave her confidence, for the people who supported her and for the experiences that gave her purpose. “If I hadn’t accepted myself, I wouldn’t have had the courage to share my story or pursue medicine. My past shaped me.” 

For her, Operation Smile isn’t just an organization; it’s part of who she is. “They helped me gain confidence, grow and dream. Now it’s my turn to help others do the same.” 

And one of her dreams? 

“To become a maxillofacial surgeon, volunteer with Operation Smile and change the lives of patients, families and communities — while creating opportunities for mentorship and training for other patients who want to pursue careers in medicine.”