Transcending Borders for Care: Jonathan’s Story

When Jonathan was born with a cleft condition in Placencia Peninsula, Belize, the doctors explained that his untreated cleft palate could prevent him from speaking clearly. When his father, Jeremey, asked about treatment, he was told it wasn’t available in Belize. With no cleft specialists available in their country and limited access to essential surgical care, they weren’t sure how to get Jonathan the care he needed.

Jeremy and Lidia, Jonathan’s mom, searched for about six months before contacting Operation Smile in neighboring Guatemala. The impact was immediate.

“We got a sense of relief right away,” Jeremy shared, “like anything was possible.”

But the journey was far. Operation Smile’s location in Guatemala City was 13 hours from the family. Despite the distance, the family made the trip, and Jonathan received his first surgery at 9 months old and his second at 2 and a half years old.

This reflects the experience of many families around the world, where access to safe surgical care can depend on crossing borders. At Operation Smile, we believe health is a fundamental human right and every child deserves access to quality care regardless of their circumstances.

Through the Transcending Borders initiative, Operation Smile works with local and regional partners to reduce barriers and help families reach care when it is unavailable close to home.

San Benito Regional Hospital in Petén remains a key partner in helping us expand access to surgery and comprehensive cleft care in northern Guatemala and neighboring communities, bringing care closer to home for patients like Jonathan and his family.

Operation Smile caught up with the family again, and a smiling Jonathan, now 5 years old, is among the smartest in his class.

“I can’t express how much it means to me, how grateful I am,” Jeremy said. “This surgery gave my son the opportunity to have friends in school, to play, to eat, to be healthy, to give him a life.”