“Born with a severe cleft lip and palate, my daughter Cala was unable to eat and talk. After three surgeries, Cala is now able to eat and talk just like anychild. I am so happy she can be a normal little girl now. She loves to sing and dance. My hopes for my daughter are enormous. I want to say thank you to everyone who has given Cala the opportunity for a healthy and promising future.”
Every year, about one in 700 babies in the world is born with a cleft palate or cleft lip. If the condition is left untreated, it can cause eating, breathing, and speaking difficulties, not to mention the embarrassment that children naturally feel for thinking they are different. The surgery to repair the condition is easy and relatively inexpensive, yet families in developing countries are often forced to forego treatment due to the costs and access to medical care.
Zoe Mesnik-Greene, the founder of Lasting Smiles, wanted to do something to help. The lip balms that her company creates are formulated with organic, fair-trade, chemical-free ingredients, which means you can feel good putting them on your lips.
But here’s the really good part: For every 1,000 lip balms sold, one child is given the life-changing gift of surgery in one of the countries where Lasting Smiles sources their sustainable ingredients—Peru (cocoa butter), India (coconut oil), or Burkina Faso (shea butter). Lasting Smiles is strengthening the global community in two ways—by paying the farmers fair wages, and by giving the children what they need to live healthier lives.
We think you’ll love the Peppermint Crème Lip Balm in your summer Yuzen box. If you do, you might want to check the other lip-smacking flavors at www.lastingsmilescare.com—like Passionfruit Mango, Pure Pomegranate, and Peach Blossom.