CURE International and Smile Train Tackle Clefts with New Global Partnership

Goal: Expand cleft care and double cleft surgical capacity across the hospital network

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Each of CURE International's seven pediatric orthopedic hospitals across Africa and the Philippines will offer comprehensive cleft care and more surgical capacity for children thanks to an expanded partnership with Smile Train, the world's largest cleft charity.

Comprehensive cleft care is a multidisciplinary approach designed to ensure that every child born with a cleft has access to a portfolio of essential treatments, including feeding/nutrition services, hearing services, speech/language therapy, psychosocial support, and dental/orthodontic care.

In addition to these services, the organizations have agreed to double the cleft surgical capacity across the CURE hospital network to nearly 2,500 cleft/palate procedures per year. This is a positive step forward in treating the estimated 200,000+ babies born each year with a cleft.

CURE International and Smile Train are building upon a successful history of partnership. Since 2007, the organizations have partnered to provide more than 15,000 cleft surgeries for children living in seven different countries ranging from West Africa to Southeast Asia.

"Serving alongside the world-class Smile Train team is empowering CURE to reach more kids in more ways than ever before," said Justin Narducci, President/CEO of CURE International. "We are blessed to have such a capable partner for this important work and look forward to expanding comprehensive cleft care to serve CURE kids who desperately need it."

"This partnership is a win-win as CURE and Smile Train are aligned with a goal of changing more lives of cleft-affected children," said Susannah Schaefer, President and CEO of Smile Train. Children born with clefts need more than surgery. Together, we're committed to treating the whole patient through programs that provide access to important comprehensive cleft care services."

CURE International is a Christian nonprofit organization operating a global network of eight children's hospitals that offer free surgical interventions for children living with treatable disabilities. CURE hospitals provide life-changing care for children suffering from conditions such as cleft lip/palate, neglected clubfoot, bowed legs, burn contractures, spina bifida, brain tumors, and hydrocephalus. In addition to world-class clinical service, CURE ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their communities. Since its inception in 1996, CURE has completed more than 5 million patient visits and 300,000 life-changing surgeries. For more information, visit https://cure.org/.

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.

Media Contact: Austin Cantrell, [email protected], (954) 790-1015

SOURCE CURE International