​By Rudzani Matshili
 
Three-month-old baby Junior underwent cleft lip repair surgery this week at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH), leaving his mother, Farai Mugobogobo, overjoyed.
Shortly after the procedure, Mugobogobo who is from Soshanguve said that the surgery was an important opportunity to address the issue of feeding her bundle of joy and will improve her son's quality of life. 
Junior is one of 22 children who received facial repair surgeries this week as part of the Smile Week, with the majority undergoing cleft lip surgeries as part of the Smile Week initiative. Smile Week is an initiative by the Smile Foundation in which they collaborate with hospitals to perform reconstructive surgery on children with facial anomalies and burn injuries.
Junior's mother said that she had already accepted her child being born with a cleft lip and loved him just the way he was. However, what hurt her the most was the treatment she received from some members of the community.
Mugobogobo said that the feeling of having her son's smile brought back is indescribable. 
"I am overwhelmed with love and excitement. I would like to express my gratitude to both DGMAH and the Smile Foundation for bringing a smile to my child's face. Accepting that you've given birth to a child with a cleft lip isn't easy at first. For some, it takes time, but for me, the bond started immediately after birth," she said. 
Another little warrior is Matlhatsi, who was born with a lateral cleft lip (Tessier 7 Craniofacial Cleft), which is a rare congenital anomaly. Anomalies like these make a child's mouth unnaturally large and any facial expression causes their condition to be even more noticeable.
This type of facial cleft affects the soft tissues and underlying skeletal structures of the face and can in some instances, be bilateral, affecting both sides of the face symmetrically. The nine-month-old's  case presents a lateral cleft lip which extends from the one corner of his mouth to his left ear. 
Matlhatsi's mother said that she was hopeful that her son will have a normal life and could not wait to see her son's new face with a smile. 
The initiative was funded by Jacaranda FM's Good Morning Angels. Last year July, they raised an amount of R2 million during the surgical marathons on Mandela Day while broadcasting live outside the DGMAH, and the funds raised went towards providing surgeries to 80 children with facial abnormalities across the country. 
Tarri Parfitt, CEO of Smile Foundation said that all children should be able to feel loved and understood growing up. 
"Sadly, there are still many who due to facial anomalies or burn injuries and a lack of financial resources, will never fully experience the freedom and joy that acceptance brings. But things are changing for the better and through the selfless dedication of the surgeons and medical support teams, the generosity of incredible sponsors like Good Morning Angels and their listeners, and everyone who has ever offered their time and talent throughout our many Smile Weeks," she said.