There are many stories unfolding at Victoria Hospital in Yangon, Myanmar as Alliance for Smiles mission gets up and running.

Monday was a huge day with 126 patients coming through clinic hoping for a chance to have surgery to repair their cleft lip/palate. The story of 12 year old Tin Shwe is one of many.

He is the last of 9 children whose mother became paralyzed after giving birth to him. His oldest sibling was also born with a cleft lip which was repaired when she was 4 months old at Yangon General.

His teacher, whose cousin works at the Victoria Hospital, heard about the FREE cleft surgery mission and immediately began to plan for him to come for screening.

His teacher told me “He is a good student and very smart…but the other kids make fun of him.” He was discharged today and will move forward with a life filled with what a 12 year old child deserves…A forever Smile!