Ripple Effect: How Abril Found Her Voice

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. 

Abril is 18 and lives in Puebla, Mexico. Born with a cleft palate, she lost both of her parents at a young age. She and her older sister were raised by their grandmother. 

She first learned about Operation Smile when she was 16 through a WhatsApp group message from her aunt. “I was scared,” Abril remembers, “but a part of me wanted to learn more.” With her grandmother’s encouragement, she decided to attend a surgical program in Puebla. 

“When I arrived, everyone was so nice,” she says. “The team explained everything to make me feel comfortable. It helped me feel less nervous.” 

After her medical evaluation, Abril learned she was eligible for surgery, but there were no spots available. The team encouraged her to not give up hope. She waited anxiously, hoping for a call. “The next Tuesday, I didn’t go to school, hoping they would call,” she recalls. When her phone rang in the morning, it was Operation Smile. 

Finding Her Voice 

Before surgery, Abril struggled with her speech. “People couldn’t understand me, and it became an insecurity,” she says. Her family and friends would tell her she couldn’t speak well. “Slowly, I started accepting it.” 

Through surgery and speech therapy, she gradually gained clarity in her voice and confidence in herself. “The first person I saw after surgery was my grandma. I was excited and looked forward to talking and hearing my voice,” she says. 

Looking back at her journey and comprehensive care, Abril reflects, “Now I feel more confident and have a great appreciation for what health care providers do and the impact it can make in someone’s life.” 

Inspiring the Next Generation 

Her experience inspired her to give back. “I thought I was the only one with a cleft, after being in a program I know that there are so many stories. If I think my story is hard, I know there are a lot stories out there. So, it made me want to leave my comfort zone and help.”  

Today, Abril volunteers with Operation Smile Mexico, working in medical records, greeting patients, organizing files and helping families complete forms. “I want to share the same care I was given,” she says. “I want children to feel safe, comfortable and loved, just like I did.” 

Abril is also studying nursing at Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla in Mexico. When she completes her studies, she hopes to continue volunteering with Operation Smile as a nurse, helping children access the care they need.  

We asked Abril to pick one word to describe her journey with Operation Smile, and she shared, “it would be empathy. You always feel welcomed, no matter where your background or where you come from.” 

And for younger girls interested in medicine, her advice is “Do it, so you can share your knowledge and talent to make a difference in your community.”