This Is Ley’s Amazing Story

We met Ley during our first mission to Wenzhou China in 2008. She was an adorable 6 year old girl born with a cleft lip and palate.  The minute Ley walked into clinic with her easy smile and warm nature, she found her way into the hearts of the whole team.

Over the last nine years Ley has transformed into a confident young woman, who is now in college with her whole life ahead of her! She first received surgery for her lip way back in 2008.  When she returned in 2009 for a palate repair we saw how beautifully her lip had healed!

Then beginning in 2010 she attended a “Cleft Camp”, hosted by our amazing partner in China The Wenzhou People’s Alliance for Smiles.  This camp, which is the first of it’s kind in China, provides services such as Speech Therapy, Social Counseling, and Motivational Guidance for cleft children.

When we had our reunion with Ley in 2016 we could hardly believe the transformation.  She was a confident young woman with a bright future ahead of her!

Everyone in the Wenzhou community is quite taken with Ley.  Her transformation can be seen on posters which cover the walls of the 3rd floor of the hospital in Wenzhou.

Ley is now in college, and when we met up with her again in 2017 she wrote the following in a letter of thanks:

“The camp is the only one of it’s kind in the world and I hope it can be replicated around the world.  I attended the camp for several years.  Here I learned that there are so many people in the world who care about me.  I also gained so much self esteem, when before I did not have anything to laugh about.  Now I love to speak to everyone!

Now that I an older and in college, I promise not to be as naughty as I once was, and to be a good student.  I will learn everything I can, and will not disappoint you. Thank you for letting me rice from the ashes!”

Ley’s journey is just beginning.  We can’t wait to find out what she does next!  Keep following Alliance for Smiles to learn more about Ley’s continuing journey in the coming years.  And please Donate Now to help other children just like Ley!