Creating Smiles,
Improving Lives

On Thursday afternoon, several parents wait for the moment when they first see their children after surgery. Photo by Kris Kennedy

On Thursday morning, three mothers wait just outside the triage room in advance of their children's lip repairs. Scheduling is a key point of emphasis during any medical mission. Typically, palate repairs are scheduled for the early part of the week due to the greater...

In his overnight room on Wednesday evening, nine-year-old Cesar Boc Reyes begins his recovery following a columellar lengthening procedure performed by Dr. Gorman. While the bandages and stitches are temporary, the repair of the cleft lip nose deformity will last for...

On Thursday morning, rhinoplasty patient Abner Garcia Pacheco signs a thank-you poster to be presented to the Austin Smiles team. Earlier, Abner's mother, Elizabeth, told a team member that Abner had often been picked on. Now, she said, he is already showing more...

Early on Thursday morning, four-year-old Mario Soc Concoba peers through the window of his overnight room as the Austin Smiles team arrives at MPSC. Photo by Kris Kennedy

During rounds on Thursday morning, Dr. Erika Sato (left) and Dr. David Wainwright share a moment with one of their 20 mission patients, 16-year-old Ingrid Coc Borrayo. Frightened that she would look "fea" (ugly), Ingrid cried for several minutes after regaining...

After an elevator ride from the recovery room to the waiting room on Tuesday afternoon, nurse Debbie Wilder delivers six-month-old cleft lip repair patient Nathaly Muralles to the arms of her mother, Heidy, as volunteer translator Katina Safia looks on. Photo by Kris...

In OR3, nurse Andrea Guidry adjusts an OR light as Dr. David Wainwright performs surgery. Photo by Kris Kennedy

Following a rhinoplasty with Dr. Wilder on Wednesday afternoon, 16-year-old Abner Garcia Pacheco gives an emphatic sign of success. Photo by Kris Kennedy

On Tuesday, Guatemalan volunteer Nickolas Prahl, 18, and Austin Smiles nurse Cindy Thomas prepare to transport palatoplasty patient Marvin Canel Paxon, 11, from the second floor to the first floor, where Marvin's father, Arnulfo, is waiting to greet his son. Roused...

On Wednesday afternoon, CRNA Andy Seider (center) and anesthesiologist Dr. Stan Eckert begin administering anesthesia to seven-year-old Norma Tax Ortega in preparation for a cleft soft palate repair with Dr. Gorman in OR1. Photo by Kris Kennedy

In OR3, Dr. David Wainwright (right) and plastic surgery fellow Dr. Erika Sato are calmly at work on a patient. Photo by Kris Kennedy