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Operation Smile has transformed lives around the world by providing care to patients for more than 40 years.
- Cleft Explained Get the basics on cleft conditions.
- Surgery and Beyond Learn how cleft care is more than surgery.
- Real-Life Stories Read stories from our patients and volunteers.
Using AI to Help Create New Smiles and Rebuild Lives

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We are transforming communities through education, empowerment and collaboration.
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Give children the chance to grow up without life-threatening health problems and social stigma.
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Since our founding in 1982, Operation Smile has believed that access to safe surgery is not a privilege, but a universal human right.
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- Cleft Explained
- Surgery and Beyond
- Real-Life Stories
- Where We Work
- Health Workforce Strengthening
- Youth Empowerment
- Policy and Advocacy
- Strategic Partners
- Thought Leadership
- Ways to Give
- Share Your Medical Expertise
- Student Programs
- Advocate for Us
- Partner With Us
- Our Story and Impact
- Our Leadership
- Corporate Partners
- Financials and Reports
- News and Media
- Interactive Learning Center
- Careers

Patients

What Legacy Will You Leave?

January 18, 2023

All of us have a story. And we all have a choice to use it to make a lasting impact. At 19 years old, Andrea is already forging her own legacy. Born with a cleft lip and cleft palate in Guadalajara, Mexico, she and her mother, Gina, faced tremendous adversity early in her life. Everything changed when they were introduced to Operation Smile Mexico.

Since then, through the hearts of people like Dr. Victor Ledesma and Dr. Ruben Ayala, Andrea has received the surgeries and comprehensive care that have enabled her to follow her dreams. Join us on Andrea’s transformative journey, and see how her story captures the spirit of the mission our co-founders, Bill Magee and Kathy Magee, have pursued over the decades.

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Meet Our Patients: Thailand

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