Access to surgical care including cleft surgery is directly linked with a child's nutritional status. Many children are estimated to be chronically undernourished and nearly a quarter of those die because of malnutrition.

Children born with a cleft lip and cleft palate are even more likely to suffer from malnutrition due to difficulties in feeding. This fact unfortunately denies them the available access to life-changing, safe surgical care provided freely by Operation Smile.

Children with cleft lip and cleft palates face malnutrition due to a lack of effectiveness of their sucking mechanism causing ineffective breast feeding due to the poor build up of negative pressure in the mouth.

Specialist feeding bottles help children feed effectively allowing them to become stable, nourished and strong during and after surgery.

At Operation Smile mission sites, doctors are unable to provide surgery to malnourished patients as they have a higher rate of infectious complications and poorer surgical outcomes.

Malnourished patients are more likely to face prolonged hospital stays after surgery as they are in need of additional care due to higher incident of complications.

Please help us care for those who would otherwise be turned away due to malnutrition, allowing them to receive the strength they need for safe surgery.

Many Operation Smile mission sites include a nutritionist who assists to measure bodyweight and size, provide special consultations and help parents build nutrition plans; however often have a lack of feeding equipment.

We invites you to sponsor a bottle in aid of Operation Smile, allowing children with cleft lip and cleft palate who are malnourished to become stable, nourished and strong during and after surgery.