A FATHER & DAUGHTER’S NEW SMILE

NAYPYIDAW, MYANMAR | DECEMBER 2019

When little Aye Tawtar was just two months old, her parents brought her to a Smile Asia medical mission screening day in Yangon. In her father Aye Chan’s arms, she carried more than her own hopes — her father, too, had been born with a cleft lip. As a child, Chan had undergone surgery, but the result was unsatisfactory, leaving his cleft looking almost untreated. For years, he lived with the hardships and stigma of his condition, and his greatest wish was that his daughter would receive surgery early in life and grow up free from the struggles he endured.

At that first mission, the medical team explained that Tawtar was too young for surgery, as she had not yet met the minimum age requirement. To the family’s surprise, the doctors offered Chan another chance for treatment. Yet, he declined, choosing instead to wait so that he and his daughter could be treated together.

A few months later, when Tawtar turned eight months, the family travelled to Naypyidaw, where she was finally scheduled for her surgery.

Aye Tawtar before and after surgery

Her mother, Daw Zin Mar Tun, recalled the moment with joy:

“While we were celebrating the successful surgery of our daughter, the doctors from Smile Asia saw my husband’s lip and offered him the surgery. I cannot express how happy I am now, because both my daughter and my husband can have a healthy smile.”

For this family, the mission brought more than healing. It gave them the gift of confidence, dignity, and renewed hope. Today, father and daughter share not only the same smile but also a brighter future ahead — together.

The happy family after the father-daughter duo received surgery