Help Willy Sikora Transform Lives with Cleft Surgery

My name is Willy Sikora. I am a Senior at Glenwood Springs High School in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and I was born with a severe bilateral cleft lip and palate. I have been selected to participate in a surgical program with Operation Smile. I am so excited to support the Operation Smile Team as a student healthcare educator because of my own personal story. I was born in the province of Yunnan in southwest China. What I know about my biological parents is that they brought me to a children’s hospital in Kunming City when I was about 3 days old and, apparently, I was very sick with pneumonia probably because they didn’t know how to feed me. Like for many children around the world, my biological parents probably did not have the means to pay for all of the surgeries and medical treatment that I would need to take care of my cleft lip and palate. They had to make what was perhaps the hardest decision of their life, to admit me to the hospital and walk away, hoping and praying that someday, I would be able to get the medical care that I needed. When my forever parents came to China to bring me home, the orphanage told them that an organization that provides surgeries for kids with cleft lip and palate had offered to do my initial surgery there in China. Because I would soon be going to the US and having access to medical care, another child at my orphanage got to have a surgery! Now I will get to join a surgical team and go experience the miracle that Operation Smile brings all over the world to kids like me!!

I created this fundraiser to help raise money for program costs as well as toys and hygiene products that I will bring with me to support cleft lip and palate patients and their families. Any money above my goal, will go toward surgeries! This July, I will be joining a group of other students at a 3 day workshop for the surgical program. During our training, each of us will be assigned to a surgical program taking place in the coming year in one of our program countries in Latin America, Africa, or Asia.

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***UPDATE***

I have found out that I will be going to Bolivia with two college students from the east coast/Northeast Corridor on August 7th-15th as student volunteers on a surgical program!

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As you may know, Operation Smile is a global nonprofit specializing in expert cleft surgery and care. Since 1982, this Virginia Beach-based organization has been committed to providing patients with life-saving cleft surgeries and comprehensive care, all at no cost to the patient or their family.

As a student volunteer for the organization, I make a direct impact on the lives of Operation Smile’s patients around the world by raising awareness and funds that help to make surgery possible. A surgery can cost as little as $240 and take only 45 minutes, but it transforms a person’s life forever.

As a student involved with Operation Smile, I’ve learned that local support is needed to make a global impact. It’s my goal to make surgery possible for Operation Smile’s patients, and I hope to have your support. If you’re able, will you please consider making a donation to support the global mission?

I can’t thank you enough for your support, no matter how big or small. Together, we’re helping to make life better for someone else, and that’s truly the greatest gift of all.

Learn more about Operation Smiles global impact and student programs by visiting www.operationsmile.org and following @operationsmile and @osstudpro!