March 6, 2017
Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on Tuesday said she is
happy to continue making a small contribution in bringing about a larger and
effective change for children born with clefts.
Aishwarya is the global
goodwill ambassador of Smile Train, an international cleft charity. It
celebrated the completion of 500,000 free cleft lip and palate reconstructive
surgeries for children born with clefts within 18 years of starting its India
programme.
"I am proud to be associated with Smile Train for all these
years and extend my heartfelt congratulations to them for changing the lives of
half a million cleft patients in India.
"Supporting this work of Smile
Train through The Aishwarya Rai Foundation has been my small personal
contribution in the larger picture of honourable, effective change in the lives
of cleft patients. I look forward to continuing this journey of giving new
reasons to smile to children born with clefts," the former beauty queen said in
a statement.
Looking elegant in a pristine white ensemble, Aishwarya
joined 100 doctors, former patients and their families, including Pinki Sonkar
of Oscar winning documentary "Smile Pinki" at the event.
Smile Train also
launched the Train in India initiative under which medical professionals from
other countries in South Asia will be trained in cleft care at its partner
hospitals.