News from Guangxi Charity Federation is that up to 7,000 cleft lip patients in Guangxi have benefited from The Smile Train program since it was launched ten years ago and a more open policy will be implemented next year to make the program accessible to more people.
Initiated in Guangxi in 1999, The Smile Train Program has provided free operations for almost 7,000 cleft lip patients from poor families in the region, at a total investment of nearly CNY16 million and the number of hospitals carrying out the program has increased from the original four to 15.
To benefit more patients, GCF plans to enlarge the program scale in 2009, removing the limits on the patients' family income and their age.
The Smile Train is a charity program funded by The Smile Train Foundation from the United States. It aims to offer free operations from cleft lip patients from poor families in China was well as training doctor to do the operation.
