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 2195 cleft surgeries across 10 states to date. The company is planning additional surgeries in Goa between 18-20 February 2024. 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, Anaesthesiology, Paediatrics, Dentistry, Speech Language Pathology, and Nursing from across the country. Wisdom Hospital, Panjim in Goa, is hosting this mission and providing infrastructure support, including Operation Theatre, Recovery Ward, Post-operative Wards, along with their support of doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff during the mission period.
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 Wisdom 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..”
About Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited
Colgate-Palmolive is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, and the planet. Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited is the market leader in Oral Care in the country, committed to delivering sustainable, profitable growth for its shareholders, while fostering an inclusive workplace for its people. With a primary focus on Oral Care & Personal Care in the Indian market, the company is recognized for its leadership and innovative efforts in advancing sustainability and community well-being.
Among its recent accomplishments, the company has made significant strides in reducing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, conserving water and energy at its manufacturing facilities, and enhancing children’s oral health through the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program. Since its inception in the mid-1970s, this program has touched the lives of more than 171 million children.
For more information about Colgate’s global business and how it is building a future to smile about, visit: www.colgatepalmolive.co.in
Wisdom Hospital, Panjim, is hosting this mission as part of their CSR activity. The hospital is providing free of cost infrastructure support which includes Operation Theatre, Recovery Ward, Post-operative Wards along with their support from Doctors, Nurses and Paramedical staff during Mission period. Wisdom Hospital is a multi-specialty hospital that aims to provide access to affordable and quality healthcare to the people of Goa. The Hospital is supported by a team of highly qualified and experienced doctors, nursing and paramedical staff.
Mission Smile is a registered medical charitable trust dedicated to provide free life-changing surgeries to children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. Since 2002, we have provided complete medical evaluations to more than 69,000 cleft patients and have performed surgeries and cleft care free of cost to more than 45000 children and adults suffering from cleft-afflicted deformities, through 138 Missions, 16 Outreach Centres pan India and our dedicated Comprehensive Cleft Care Centre in Guwahati. Medical and non-medical volunteers from India and abroad are joining hands for the cause of clefts. Over 1800 such volunteers have joined the initiative so far.