“We always greet each other with hugs. I used to carry Sebastian around, but he’s too big for that now,” Diego says fondly. He remembers that Sebastian had always wanted to help during the outreach program, but he was too young. Diego often volunteered as a photographer with Fundación Global Smile-Ecuador and included Sebastian when he could.

In 2020, Sebastian finally got his chance to help during a mission and was Fundación Global Smile-Ecuador's youngest volunteer. He worked with Jeanne Paolilli, who has volunteered as a Peri-Op Nurse with GSF for close to 10 years and had been one of Sebastian's caregivers in the past. Sebastian helped Jeanne make ID bands for patients and assisted her as she prepared patients for surgery. Jeanne said that Sebastian was very helpful to her, "He figured out very quickly what I was doing and anticipated what I needed."

She continued, "Sebastian is amazingly kind to our patients. He was very willing to share his experiences about having cleft lip and palate. He also spoke with the parents to make them more comfortable about their children's care."

Like Jeanne, many GSF volunteers return to the same locations year after year and say that watching patients grow up is one of the most special rewards of participating in GSF outreach programs.

KINDNESS IN ACTION: Sebastian with mentor and friend Diego De La S; Both have started a new cycle of "paying it forward" to future GSF patients.

Sebastian's desire to assist GSF's work follows the path of many former patients in Ecuador who have returned as volunteers. Just like Diego and many others, Sebastian has started a new cycle of "paying it forward" to future GSF patients. This generous spirit is at the heart of GSF and the positive impact of making healthy smiles possible for patients born with cleft goes far beyond one individual, or even one family, to reach larger communities.

Denise Franco Mera, President of Fundación Global SmileEcuador, accurately described the feeling of being part of the GSF family when she said, "It's not what fills your pockets. It's what fills your heart."

And there are many hearts around the world that have been filled by the remarkable power of healthy smiles made possible by the GSF family. •

GSF relies on support from corporations, private foundations, and individuals to accomplish its mission. More information can be found at gsmile.org

FACING ADVERSITY : SEBASTIAN AND THE GSF

Sebastian began giving to others at the young age of eight. In 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Manabí Province in Ecuador where Sebastian's family lives. The damage was widespread, destroying homes and buildings for hundreds of miles, causing more than 676 deaths and 16,600 injuries. Nearly 100,000 people were left homeless.

NGOs and local groups approached GSF and Fundación Global Smile-Ecuador to help, not only because so many of their patients are from the Manabí Province, but also because they were well-known and trusted organizations. Javier approached Fundación Global Smile-Ecuador to help distribute donated goods because it was difficult to reach people who urgently needed help.

As soon as Sebastian learned about what his father was doing, he asked if he could help, "Just like GSF helped me," he said. In total, GSF and Fundación Global Smile-Ecuador distributed more than 150 tons of food, water, and medications. They also helped build 25 homes for displaced families.

Global Smile Foundation is an NGO based in Norwood, MA whose mission is to provide comprehensive cleft care for patients in underserved areas throughout the world and to build global capacity for cleft care though empowerment and sustainability initiatives. In developing countries, the consequences of untreated cleft lip and palate are devastating, yet access to specialized care is extremely limited. GSF believes that every child born with cleft deserves the chance for a healthy smile — and a healthy life — regardless of geographic or socioeconomic barriers.