Real Weddings: Emma and Gavin’s picturesque castle wedding in Co Mayo
Real Weddings: Emma and Gavin’s picturesque castle wedding in Co Mayo

Shayna Sappington

If I Knew Then What I Know Now: Complete Harmony owner Gail Bovenizer
If I Knew Then What I Know Now: Complete Harmony owner Gail Bovenizer

IMAGE

The ultimate family weekend away in Monaghan
The ultimate family weekend away in Monaghan

IMAGE

Alma Kelliher: ‘Success in the arts can look different to success in other fields’
Alma Kelliher: ‘Success in the arts can look different to success in other fields’

Sarah Gill

How one of Ireland’s most iconic mills has evolved for the modern day
How one of Ireland’s most iconic mills has evolved for the modern day

Cliodhna Prendergast

WIN a night in a five-star luxury London hotel (plus afternoon tea for two)
WIN a night in a five-star luxury London hotel (plus afternoon tea for two)

IMAGE

This Glasthule home is an urban seaside sanctuary
This Glasthule home is an urban seaside sanctuary

IMAGE

6 wines to try this summer, according to an expert
6 wines to try this summer, according to an expert

Michelle Lawlor

Mid-century cool meets contemporary Irish design in this Dublin seaside home
Mid-century cool meets contemporary Irish design in this Dublin seaside home

Orla Neligan

Dearbhla Lovett: A weekend in my wardrobe
Dearbhla Lovett: A weekend in my wardrobe

Dearbhla Lovett

Image / Editorial

World Smile Day


By IMAGE
02nd Oct 2015
World Smile Day

Nationwide collections are taking place today for the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Ireland?and?Operation Smile. Why? It’s World Smile Day!

How many of us take our smile for granted? We take selfies, pose for photos without a second thought, perhaps the only concern being, ‘do I have anything stuck in my teeth??.

We spend money on dental work and teeth whitening, all so we can be proud of our cheesy grins.

But what if you were born without the natural ability to form a proper smile? Imagine some of your lip, gum, or palate hadn’t grown properly thus creating a problem with eating, talking and of course, smiling. And imagine having to have numerous surgeries over the years to correct this birth defect so you can feel confident in your smile.

Molly had multiple operations along with extensive orthodontics to correct her cleft lip, but look at her now (on the right in the photo above) – a stunning, expert selfie-taker!

So if you see these buckets, spare a thought and a few euro for those children who weren’t so lucky to have been born with the perfect beam. They need endless hours of costly treatment and therapy and it’s a charity often forgotten.

It’s something to think about next time we smirk. And remember, a smile spreads a mile.

11694061_10206487588803566_6950208196489982471_n

Joaquin Phoenix certainly didn’t let his cleft lip get in the way of success, so let’s help others achieve theirs…. swoon.

jp

 

#WorldSmileDay