Global Smile Foundation (GSF) returned to San Salvador, El Salvador for our 17th mission of providing comprehensive cleft care free-of-charge to patients. Our team of volunteers spent 10 days at Benjamin Bloom Hospital where they screened patients, performed surgeries and dental procedures, and conducted speech therapy sessions. We are grateful to our numerous sponsors who made this mission a success.
The GSF Team provided:
- 68 Patient Screenings
- 28 Surgical Procedures
- 183 Dental Procedures
- 53 Speech Therapy Sessions
Click here to go to the mission page for more details.
Patient Profile: Jose Alejandro
Jose’s mother was very surprised when her son was born with cleft lip and palate, especially because his older brother was born without cleft. It was very difficult for her to care for Jose because, like many children with cleft, he had difficulty feeding properly. Both of Jose’s parents were worried about their son’s wellbeing. They learned about Global Smile Foundation from the hospital where Jose was born and first brought him to meet our volunteers in January 2019. Jose underwent a cleft lip repair and returned in January 2020 for a cleft palate repair. Jose’s mother expressed her immense gratitude for her son’s care and relief that, “he will be able to grow and speak like other children.”