Operation Smile

There is nothing more beautiful than a sweet smile from a child. A smile that can melt your heart, make you laugh, sometimes even make you shed a tear. A symbol of the pure innocence and joy. An expression of love, familiarity and friendliness.

Can you imagine how hard life could be if you were born with a facial deformity that prevented you from smiling? Did you know that one in ten children born with a facial deformity will die before their first birthday?

Guillermo was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate.

Operation Smile provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children that live in many different countries around the world. Today, Operation Smile has grown into a worldwide children’s medical charity with a presence in more than 50 countries. There are more than 4,000 active medical volunteers from 56 countries. Since 1982, Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen S. Magee, Operation Smile has provided more than 2 million healthcare evaluations and conducted over 200,000 free surgical procedures for children and young adults with facial deformities through Operation Smile. Providing them with a new lease on life. The ability to eat, drink, and smile without discomfort.

Adel's speech was so hindered by his cleft palate,
his mother was worried his teacher would
not graduate Adel to the first grade.

Today, hundreds of thousands still need help. The promise Bill and Kathy Magee made years ago will not be fulfilled until every child with a correctable facial deformity is given the chance to live their life with dignity, and for those suffering from cleft or other facial deformities, dignity begins with a smile. They take donations from a vast variety of caring hearts to make sure that each and every child that is born with a facial deformity, has the chance to receive the surgery that can provide them with a lifetime of beautiful heartwarming smiles.

Jamila born with a cleft lip.

Right now, Campus Book Rentals is working on donating over 1,000 life saving cleft lip surgeries this year to children in need and prat of their Making a Difference Program.  For EVERY book rented starting now, they will donate a portion of those proceeds to Operation Smile with sights set on meeting and exceeding their goal of 1,000 lives changed. If you are going back to school this semester, look into renting your school books at a fraction of the cost and give a child the chance at that perfect smile. Add that extra book to your cart, and consider this goal as you go back to school this year. Just remember each donation will give that extra smile!