On this occasion, Smile Train India, the country’s leading cleft-focused non-governmental organisation, has marked a major milestone by supporting more than 800,000 free cleft surgeries for children across India since 2000. Building on this achievement, the organisation is now focusing on expanding awareness efforts to ensure early identification of cleft conditions and timely access to treatment for every affected child.
Nearly 35,000 children are born with clefts in India every year. However, many children miss the crucial treatment window due to myths, misinformation, and social stigma surrounding cleft conditions. Delayed treatment can result in feeding challenges, malnutrition, speech and hearing difficulties, and long-term social and emotional consequences.
Smile Train India emphasises that early diagnosis and timely surgery play a critical role in improving outcomes and ensuring access to complete cleft care. Through World Cleft Awareness Day initiatives, the organisation aims to remove misconceptions, spread awareness, and encourage families to seek appropriate medical support without delay.
Smile Train India follows a comprehensive approach where surgery is considered only one part of the overall treatment journey. Its holistic care model includes nutritional support, speech therapy, and orthodontic treatment to help children achieve improved health, confidence, and quality of life.
The organisation’s sustainability-focused strategy involves training and empowering local surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, and multidisciplinary cleft care teams. By strengthening partner hospitals, Smile Train India enables children to receive high-quality, free cleft treatment close to their homes while creating long-term healthcare capacity that continues beyond individual treatments.
The awareness campaign for this year’s World Cleft Awareness Day has received extensive support from partners, donors, ambassadors, individuals affected by cleft conditions, families, well-wishers, and communities. Many supporters have used social media and other platforms to share their experiences and expand awareness beyond medical circles into everyday communities.
“"We've made real progress expanding access to treatment, but awareness remains our toughest battle," said Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President and Regional Director – Asia, Smile Train. “Every day, children arrive at our doors months or even years later than they should have — not because treatment wasn't there, but because their families never knew cleft could be treated or feared the stigma that so often surrounds it. If we can close that awareness gap, we can reach these children in time and make sure not a single one is left waiting.”
On World Cleft Awareness Day, Smile Train India has called upon parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, media representatives, and communities to actively contribute to awareness building, promote early diagnosis, and challenge misconceptions associated with cleft conditions.
With more than 800,000 free cleft surgeries supported since 2000, Smile Train India continues its mission to ensure that children born with clefts receive timely care, comprehensive support, and the opportunity to thrive without barriers created by lack of awareness or stigma.
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