Minea is a 12-year-old girl from Cambodia. At school, she is in Grade 4 and enjoys writing and reading Khmer. In her free time, she loves playing with her friends in the village. She dreams of becoming a teacher when she grows up. Her favorite meal is spicy fried chicken.
Minea was born with a cleft lip and palate; she has a gap in both her upper lip and the roof of her mouth. She underwent surgery when she was younger, but she still has a small gap in the bone on the right side of her upper gum. This gap affects the way her teeth grow and has made her feel shy about her appearance. It also affects the way she speaks and eats.
Minea will be having alveolar bone graft surgery on April 21st with the help of our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, to fix the gap in her gums. This procedure, which costs $665, will help her teeth grow properly and improve both function and appearance.
For Minea, this surgery is an important step toward being able to smile freely, speak clearly, and feel more confident in her daily life. Minea’s mother shares, “I hope the surgery goes well so that, after healing, she will be able to smile confidently and no longer feel shy.”

