COMM U N I T Y
A Heart
BY: CALLIE COLLINS
W for
Helping
ith creativity and cookies, 16-year-old Abby Wenger helps put the heart in heartland when it comes to helping others on a world scale. The Westmoore High School sophomore has raised more than $4,000 for Smile Train, an international charity, as its only Oklahoma-based student ambassador. While the much-lauded Oklahoma Standard is usually characterized by interactions between local friends and strangers, Abby’s commitment to helping children in need of medical care has furthered that sentiment’s reach far beyond our state. Smile Train works in more than 90 countries to bring cleft palate care, including surgery, to children who need it. Cleft palate is a birth defect that occurs when the upper lip and mouth form improperly during fetal development. The condition often leads to difficulties with speech and feeding, sometimes leading to social stigma. While severity varies, most cases can be corrected with an operation during childhood.
According to Smile Train, more than 1.5 million patients have received corrective surgery made possible through their programs. Continuing education opportunities for medical professionals are also part of the Smile Train’s outreach to make patient care more accessible, with support of regional healthcare infrastructure in both rural and urban areas throughout the world. “I think it’s really important for students to know that you don’t have to raise a million dollars to make a difference,” said Abby. “It’s $250 to create an entire smile. I’ve also met the most amazing people in the group of student ambassadors who do this together from different states and countries. It doesn’t take you staying up all night and working all day. Just a little bit of heart and effort can help make a change.” Abby’s awareness of Smile Train and the communities it serves started with a Scholastic-brand magazine in eighth grade at Brink Junior High. The social studies-themed publication often includes current events and stories about students in other countries. An article about a little boy in need of cleft palate surgery caught her attention and the story stayed with her through the spring semester. Sunny Wenger, Abby’s mother, recalled hearing about her daughter’s interest in Smile Train and the short application process her daughter followed to get involved.
Local high school student raises funds for surgeries that change children’s lives 10 April 2021
“I came home from work one day and she said ‘I called them at their home office in New York City,’” said Sunny. “She’s a go-getter and I’m not surprised something like that grabbed her heart.” Abby herself underwent a life-changing surgery at OU Children’s Hospital in sixth grade to treat scoliosis. Within a week or two of reaching out, Abby had completed the interview process by phone and proceeded to get in touch with Smile Train staff and peers in the program. While children benefit directly from the medical care offered through Smile Train, Abby feels the organization has provid-
