In celebration of hitting 10,000 "Paige"-views on this blog, I will do a special giveaway (at the bottom of this post) and I would like to introduce you to someone very special in the Cleft Community who inspired me and many others.
Now eleven, Andi founded Andi's Smile Page on Facebook in 2010, to raise awareness of cleft lip and palate and to raise money to help kids around the world get surgeries to repair their lips and palates. Andi was born with a cleft lip and palate herself and has had ten surgeries already. Andi has big dreams to help children all over the world who can't afford surgeries, do not have insurance or access to some of the best care like so many of us. She was concerned by the fact that in some other countries many people with clefts and their families are shunned and considered outcasts by their communities, because of this very common birth defect that is also treatable. Her big dream has raised money for over 50 surgeries through Smile Train and she has over 3,431 likes on Facebook!
Andi brings awareness through her facebook page by posting "The Smile of the Day," a picture of a child born with a cleft...some repaired, some not and sometime even a little more grown up. People get to leave them comments and "Like" their picture to just love on them and tell them what a blessing their beautiful smiles truly are.
Andi raises money for Smile Train through the sales of special items with clever and inspiring cleft friendly slogans. By posting the "Smile of the Day," many family and friends buy shirts and onsies that tell the world that their little one was the "Smile of the Day" and brought a little sunshine to those who follow Andi's page. She has also started selling the Andi doll. It has Andi's likeness and a small lip scar.
Order one of her designs from Cafepress and all proceeds go to helping children with clefts get much needed surgeries!
Paige is a Smile Ambassador on Andi's Smile Page and where ever she goes!!!
Paige with her cleftline.org bear (where she is featured on their site with her bear)
and her 5 week picture before repair
Or order an Andi Doll here!
Andi has also collected goods for care kits for families staying in a Ronald McDonald House when their child is undergoing surgery here in the US.
Recently Andi received a Community Hero Award in the county where she lives. We are very proud of you Andi!
See my daughter Paige and what Andi's Smile Paige did for us!
Paige has been featured now quite a few times as Smile of the Day and it has always felt good to discover this special surprise and see all the warm thoughts and love poured over our sweet girl. Its also fun because we get to see many of these kiddos grow up over time and go through their different surgeries. Click below on a few of the links and see Paige at different points throughout her first year on Andi's page.
Andi has helped raise enough for over 50 surgeries through Smile Train. She started with the goal to raise one and didn't stop there....She says "Dream Big," and for her she is not done dreaming yet. I hope Paige takes after Andi, standing strong and sure of herself despite her cleft and reaching high with whatever she dreams of.
To win this awesome Andi's Smile Page canvas tote, which the purchase of also went to help a surgery.... please
1. "Like" Andi's Smile Page and leave a comment on the post of this blog on her page.
2. Follow my blog----->
3. Make sure to leave a comment below on this post and let us know you visited!
The Winner will be drawn at random from the comments left on this blog post and the post on Andi''s Page! Random drawing will be done June 4th, 2011 after 12:00pm pst
Winner must be Domestic Shipping only
The Winner will be drawn at random from the comments left on this blog post and the post on Andi''s Page! Random drawing will be done June 4th, 2011 after 12:00pm pst
Winner must be Domestic Shipping only
Random drawing will be done May 31st, 2011 after 12:00pm pst
Winner must be Domestic Shipping only
Winner must be Domestic Shipping only
