Colgate – Palmolive’s ‘Smiles for life’ CSR program supports Cleft surgeries in collaboration with Mission Smile and VS Hospital in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, 16 December 2023: Colgate-Palmolive India’s ‘Smiles for Life’ CSR program facilitates corrective surgeries for cleft lip and cleft palate in children and young adults, in collaboration with NGO Mission Smile. Under this program, Colgate-Palmolive has supported over 2000 cleft surgeries across 10 states to date.

The company is planning additional surgeries in Tamil Nadu between 16-18 December 2023. The three-day comprehensive Cleft surgical camp will start with screening, followed by cleft surgeries through a team of medical experts in Plastic Surgery, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, Dentistry, Speech Language Pathology, and Nursing from across the country.

Shilpashree Muniswamappa, Director, ESG and communications, Colgate-Palmolive India said, “Our ‘Smiles for Life’ program reflects our commitment to the oral health and well-being of the children in our communities. Annually, close to 35,000 children are born with cleft who suffer from malnourishment, speech problems and societal acceptance. By collaborating with conscious partners such as Mission Smile and VS Hospital, we aim to actively contribute to the lives of these children through transformative cleft lip and cleft palate corrective surgeries. Witnessing the positive impact across diverse regions reinforces our belief that every smile holds the power to inspire and uplift communities. I am immensely proud of the collective efforts that we are making towards our commitment to promoting oral health and overall well-being.”