You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile
Don’t you love that song? And it’s so true, isn’t it? In my opinion, a smile is the most important thing you put on each day. One smile can make such a difference.
And the best smiles of all? Kids’, of course! I mean, really. Who can resist this face?
But unfortunately, it’s not that easy for every child to smile. Some children are born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate which means that it’s difficult or even impossible for them to eat, speak, socialize, and smile. The cause is unknown, but it’s something that affects 1 in every 500-700 children, and it can have a major impact on their livelihood and even survival.
I personally know two children who were born with this condition; one is the child of a high school friend and the other is Little Crafter’s second cousin. Because both of them live in the United States and have families who could afford the surgery, both children’s clefts were repaired and they now lead normal lives. Looking at them today, you would never know…
And yet, there are children around the world whose parents cannot afford such a surgery or may not even have access to it. That’s where Operation Smile comes in. It’s an international charity focused on helping children all over the world to smile and to thrive. “Since 1982, Operation Smile — through the help of dedicated medical volunteers — has provided more than 3.5 million comprehensive patient evaluations and over 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.” The surgery takes less than 45 minutes to perform, and costs just $240 {provided by donors, as the surgery is free of charge to the children and their families}. It’s the kind of thing that not only changes a child’s appearance, but changes his or her entire life. Once the cleft lip or palate is fixed, the child can lead a perfectly normal life doing all the things we take for granted. Eating. Speaking. Smiling.
There are tons of ways to partner with Operation Smile. They accept one-time donations and monthly donations in any amount. There are also companies, like CampusBookRentals.com, who partner with and donate to Operation Smile, so every time you rent textbooks from them, you’re helping to support the cause. {As a side note, if any of you are in college, or have kids or friends in college, you may want to check them out; it’s a great deal…}
In honor of this important cause, I’ve created a special new necklace.
It’s a handstamped pendant with a beaded charm, reminding you to use that beautiful smile God gave you. It really is the most important thing you’ll wear all day. You can find it in my Etsy shop, and for every necklace sold, I will donate $10 to Operation Smile. I’d love to raise enough to fund an entire surgery.
Thanks for reading today and for letting me share something I believe is worth talking about.
Have a great day, and of course, Keep Smiling!
Amy,
What a fabulous gift you are giving. I will head over to your Etsy store and and check this out. I will also mention it in my blog, these would make wonderful holiday gifts, plus you will be helping others receive the surgery they need. May God bless you for using your talent to help others.
Hugs,
Maureen
What a wonderful idea and necklace Amy! What a great cause. BTW I love the photo of the necklace in the candy {very cute}.
Such a great idea! I hope you get enough to fund a surgery, what a great cause to contribute to 🙂
What a great cause … and I love the necklace you made too 🙂
Love these necklaces and they will make nice christmas gifts for a good cause 🙂
Great necklace and LOVE the candy corn background in your photo. As you know, I have a cause I am passionate about too and it feels great to be able to raise money and raise awareness! I will be sharing your post on my FB page!