- Valezka Gil-Wester
The power of Sharing Smiles: Central Florida doctors restoring hope for children in need.
Choose the health content that’s right for you, and get it delivered right in your inbox.
ORLANDO, Fla. — For nearly 30 years, AdventHealth Foundation Central Florida’s Sharing Smiles initiative has transformed lives in Latin America by providing free cleft palate surgeries to children in need. These surgeries restore more than smiles — they renew hope, connection and joy for families in underserved communities.
“A smile is our defining feature,” explains Dr. Raj Sawh-Martinez, chief of pediatric plastic surgery at AdventHealth for Children, and a volunteer surgeon with Sharing Smiles. “It’s how we introduce ourselves to the world. It’s the bond between a mom and a baby. It’s really our handshake to the world through our face.”
“We work hard to develop the infrastructure so that eventually, we’re not needed,” Sawh-Martinez said. The program partners with local surgeons to train them and combine expertise to ensure sustainable care after the AdventHealth team leaves.
Preparation for each mission is meticulous, with the Central Florida team bringing all necessary equipment, including stitches, instruments, and medications.
“We typically bring everything from AdventHealth,” says Dr. Joseph Lopez, chief of pediatric head and neck surgery, who also volunteers with Sharing Smiles. In the last country they volunteered in Campeche, Mexico, the team performed up to 60 surgeries in just five days, often working 12-hour shifts.
“It takes an entire village to make sure one child has the opportunity for surgery,” Lopez adds. Local partners play a key role by spreading the word through Facebook, radio, and TV, ensuring children from remote towns have an opportunity to be evaluated and considered for treatment.
“Having the ability to create a smile for a child who can’t smile – it really touches your heart when you see the eyes of the parents after you do the repair,” said Lopez.
“Seeing that smile restored — there’s no greater feeling in the world. And all of us who go on these trips, our lives are forever changed,” said Swah-Martinez.
Help Bring Smiles to More Children
With Giving Tuesday just around the corner, there’s no better time to help create more smiles.
Click on the link to support AdventHealth Foundation’s Sharing Smiles initiative and help transform lives and bring hope and happiness to children in need — one smile at a time.
Recent News
The hospital’s three-story expansion will be completed in summer 2026.
The hospital’s three-story expansion will be completed in summer 2026.
AdventHealth President/CEO David Banks reveals three benefits of practicing design thinking.
Dr. Jason Jennings, orthopedic surgeon with AdventHealth Medical Group Colorado Joint Replacement at Porter, was selected to present his research findings at the 3rd International Consensus Meeting on...
When it comes to back health, how you sleep matters just as much as how you move during the day. According to Dr. Sharad Rajpal, a neurosurgeon at AdventHealth Avista, your nighttime habits can either...
Personal experiences and the desire to give back inspired AdventHealth Avista ICU Manager Megan May to pursue a career in nursing. Her journey began in the very halls of Avista, where as a child she...
July marks Fibroid Awareness Month—a time to spotlight a condition that affects an estimated 26 million women across the United States.
Aimee Keller-Pickford to serve as CEO of AdventHealth Winter Garden; Sheila Rankin to lead AdventHealth Winter Park.
AdventHealth is pleased to announce the appointment of Bela Nand, MD, as the new Regional Chief Medical Officer for the Mid-America Region, effective June 29, 2025.
This expansion reflects AdventHealth’s commitment to delivering more access, more choice and more whole-person care to Western North Carolina.
This national recognition honors nurses who exemplify clinical excellence, compassionate care, and a deep commitment to the healing ministry of Christ.
Dr. Tim Hendrix, chief medical officer at AdventHealth Centra Care, shares simple, smart tips to help you and your family stay healthy and feel whole all summer long.