Andre Daniels from Elsies Rivier will be receiving surgery this week thanks to the Smile Foundation’s efforts in supporting children with facial anomalies and burn injuries.
Cape Town, South Africa (15 November 2023) – American singer and songwriter, Lauren Jauregui, once said: “If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, how different our ideals of beauty would be.” If this were the case, how different would the daily lives of children living with facial anomalies and burn injuries be? Sadly, so many children with physical deformations are excluded and made to feel less than the beautiful beings that they already are. Through their many Smile Weeks, the Smile Foundation helps such children change the way they see themselves, by giving them the life-changing surgical procedures they so desperately need.
Sponsored by Adcock Ingram, this upcoming Smile Week will commence the week of the 13th of November 2023 at Cape Town’s Tygerberg Hospital, where 18 children will undergo surgery, most of which will include cleft lip and palate procedures.
“We are ever grateful to Adcock Ingram for generously sponsoring this Smile Week and for their longstanding support of many of our initiatives over the past fourteen years. We would also like to thank the phenomenal team of surgeons, medical professionals, and hospital staff at Tygerberg Hospital, who will be dedicating their time and talents to give these children the surgery they need. We extend our appreciation to the surgeons not affiliated with Tygerberg Hospital, who selflessly dedicate their valuable time from private practice to conduct surgeries on these children at no cost. Every Smile Week has the power to change young lives for the better and we at Smile Foundation are honoured to play a part in giving children a fair and equal footing to their peers, early on in their lives,” shares Marc Lubner, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Smile Foundation.
10-year-old Andre Daniels from Elsies Rivier in Cape Town is among the children undergoing surgery this week. Andre was born with Crouzon syndrome, also known as craniofacial dysostosis – a rare genetic disorder affecting the shape of a child’s head and face. A child with Crouzon Syndrome faces challenges such as a high forehead, underdeveloped midface, and protruding eyes. Children with Crouzon syndrome often experience complications like vision, dental, and breathing issues, hearing loss and hydrocephalus.
When Andre was born, his mother, Catherine, was not aware of such a condition. She noticed that her baby had a crevice in his skull, which their doctor advised would close, but as time passed, she grew more concerned, as Andre began to look different from other children his age.
Andre’s mom, Catherine, shares how her son’s condition has impacted their lives:
“Andre gets bullied a lot by other children. It breaks my heart when they mock him and laugh in his face. He is always asked why his eyes are so big and is called terrible names. Some kids can be very cruel, and this causes Andre to cry a lot. Seeing my child struggle like this is very hard for me, I have to hide my tears to be strong for him. I always tell him that he is a special creation and that he needs to be brave because things will get better after his operation.”
During Smile Week, Andre will have optic nerve sheath decompression to alleviate pressure on his optic nerve caused by Crouzon syndrome. This procedure involves creating a window in the optic nerve sheath to release fluid, protecting, and improving vision while addressing abnormalities in bone structure.
“I know that this is a very big operation that my Andre has to face, but I have confidence in the doctors and their medical teams who have explained everything to us. Tygerberg Hospital is also a very good hospital, so I know my child is going to be in very good hands. I am also looking forward to meeting the Smile Foundation team who have kept in touch with us all along and given me so much encouragement and kindness along the way.” concludes Catherine.
Facial anomalies and burn injuries have a dire effect on a child’s psychological well-being. Through Smile Foundation’s commitment to supporting the rights and meeting the needs of previously disadvantaged children, they aim to offer every child a chance to overcome their physical and emotional difficulties so they can go on to live fulfilling lives. To keep up with the life-changing work that Smile Foundation makes possible or to support this cause, follow them on these social media platforms:
(Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/SmileFoundationSA/
(X) https://twitter.com/SmileFundSA
(Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/smilefoundationsa/
(LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-smile-foundation/
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