Lucknow — Children at Vivekananda Polyclinic experienced joy and hope as the Vivekananda Polyclinic & Institute of Medical Sciences hosted a special event to mark World Smile Day. The occasion, organized in collaboration with Smile Train USA, focused on raising awareness about cleft lip and palate conditions while offering free corrective surgeries to affected children.
World Smile Day, first observed in 1999, is celebrated annually on the first Friday of October. The event highlights the global, community-driven Smile Wall campaign, promoting positivity, support, and the transformative power of a smile for children born with cleft conditions.
Event Highlights
The awareness program took place in the institute’s seminar hall on the first floor from 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM, bringing together doctors, students, caretakers, and members of the public. The inauguration featured Swami Muktinathanand, Secretary of the Institute, along with Hospital Superintendent Dr. B.K. Singh, and chief guest Ritu Sharma, Program Manager of Smile Train India. Also present were Smile Train Project Director Dr. Amit Agrawal and plastic surgeon Dr. Richa Srivastava, who honored the sacred trinity with floral tributes and a ceremonial lamp lighting.
Swami Muktinathanand and Dr. B.K. Singh expressed gratitude to the attendees for their presence and support.
Message from Smile Train India
Speaking at the event, Ritu Sharma highlighted the institute as a comprehensive treatment center offering holistic care for cleft-affected children. Apart from cleft lip and palate surgeries, the hospital also performs speech improvement procedures, corrective nose surgeries, and jaw reconstructions — services available at only a few specialized centers in India.
Swami Muktinathanand emphasized that the Smile Train project empowers children with cleft conditions to regain their speech, express their emotions, and restore their personality. “This initiative not only brings smiles to their faces but transforms lives,” he said. He also pledged the institute’s continued support for the project in the future.
Impact and Legacy
Since 2006, Vivekananda Polyclinic has been providing comprehensive cleft care, including speech therapy, orthodontics, and nutritional support. In collaboration with Smile Train USA, the institute has conducted over 12,000 free surgeries for children in need.
Dr. B.K. Singh urged citizens to identify children in their communities suffering from cleft lip or palate and refer them to the institute’s Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery Department, where expert surgeons offer free surgeries, consultations, and follow-up care.
Dr. Richa Srivastava, the hospital’s Smile Train surgeon, thanked the attendees and Smile Train representatives, acknowledging their contributions toward expanding the project. The program was conducted under the coordination of Dr. Shreya Pandey, DNB Plastic Surgery.
A Call for Awareness
World Smile Day serves as a reminder of the power of empathy and community action. Swami Muktinathanand urged the public to show compassion toward children struggling with cleft conditions and support initiatives like Smile Train that restore hope, confidence, and happiness in their lives.
Children requiring assistance with cleft conditions can reach out to Vivekananda Polyclinic & Institute of Medical Sciences’ Plastic Surgery Department for free surgery and follow-up services.
This initiative not only brings smiles to children but also fosters awareness, acceptance, and the promise of a brighter future.
