Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray visits baby Grace at her home in Limuru, Kiambu County. Gray, who just concluded her two-day visit to Kenya, had the chance to interact with beneficiaries of cleft treatment to spread the message that ‘All Smiles are Beautiful’.
Even after her reign as Miss Universe ended, Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray recently visited Kenya to spread awareness of Smile Train as a partner in comprehensive cleft care for those in need. Catriona continues to use her voice to share the message that “All Smiles are Beautiful” and help reach more people who can benefit from Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity.
Despite of her busy schedules filming in Mauritius and hosting segments at the Miss Universe South Africa 2021 pageant, Catriona made time to visit Smile Train patients and their families in Kenya. She was able to learn about their cleft care journey and the stigma that cleft lip and palate bring through her interactions with them.
LOOK: Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray in an African neckpiece by Smile Train Vice President and Regional Director for Africa Mrs. Nkeiruka Obi during a press conference.
Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray at a Smile Train Africa press conference
At a press conference arranged by Smile Train Africa in Kenya, Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray also appealed to the Department of Health to implement birth screenings so that cleft lip and palate can be detected in the early stages of development, enabling both mother and child to receive appropriate care and support. In Africa, 1,300 children are born with cleft issues every year, and 1 out of 10 newborns die due to malnutrition. Despite many who believe cleft is only a cosmetic issue, cleft has serious health implications. Cleft can also affect a child’s ability to breastfeed properly, therefore many suffer from malnutrition.
“It is vital to note that cleft also affects one’s emotional and mental wellbeing,” said Gray. Thus, Smile Train wants to break down the stigma for people who suffer from cleft, as many of those with untreated cleft conditions cannot productively participate in society without being taunted for their appearance.
“We also ask media to help in demystifying cleft and educating the public that cleft is not the result of a ‘curse’ or ‘witchcraft’, nor is it an indicator of mental disability,” added Gray.
Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray poses with Travis and his mother Rahab Mwau (left), and Grace with her mother Damaris Murugi (right) when she visited Kenya, seeking to raise awareness about cleft.
Across the globe, Smile Train has a sustainable system focused on solving the problems brought about by cleft lip and palate. Smile Train’s global footprint allows them to partner with local health organizations to provide proper cleft care treatment at no cost to patients.
In addition to life-changing surgery, Smile Train’s local medical partners provide essential cleft care such as speech therapy, emotional support, nutrition services, and orthodontic care to ensure that children have the opportunity to lead full and productive lives. Smile Train, with the support of its donors and partners around the world, has supported safe and quality cleft care for more than 1.5 million children in need for the past 22 years.
Even during the pandemic, Smile Train in the Philippines has continued to provide comprehensive cleft care and patients still have access to Smile Train’s services and are still able to schedule surgeries in partner hospitals, despite lockdown retrictions. With the launch of the first Filipino mobile Smile Train Speech App and the Virtual Telehealth Program, Smile Train enabled Filipino patients to join speech therapy sessions from the safety of their homes.
Philippine TV Actor Sam Milby (left) and Smile Train Global Ambassador Catriona Gray (right) share smiles with Anastacia and her daughter, Grace (center) during a visit to their home.
No Comments