Smile Train Celebrates World Smile Day®, a Day Devoted to Smiles and Acts of Kindness

- NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, people all over the world will be celebrating World Smile Day®.  In honor of this special day, Smile Train, the world's largest cleft organization, launched a campaign to celebrate all of the people who contribute to their work and all of the medical professionals who help change the lives of children with clefts in their own communities with free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care. The celebration is truly global as Smile Train has helped more than one million children in 85+ developing countries. Smile Train will kick off World Smile Day® celebrations in Chicago and will host a private lighting ceremony at the iconic Two Prudential Plaza, where the building will illuminate in Smile Train's signature red and blue colors in honor of the day. During the ceremony, Supermodel, Actress, and Smile Train Goodwill Ambassador Christie Brinkley, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp will share a few remarks and a ceremonial toast. Following the lighting ceremony, Smile Train will host a community wide event from 4pm – 7pm at Two North Riverside Plaza with live musical performances, giveaways, games, and the opportunity to hang out with some of the organization's special celebrity supporters. "For years, Smile Train has helped the international community understand that cleft surgery is not just a cosmetic fix, behind every new smile created is a fresh opportunity for children to lead healthy and happy lives," said Smile Train's CEO Susannah Schaefer. "The goal this World Smile Day® is to raise funds that will help create many more smiles for children born with clefts around the world." Smile Train invites everyone around the world to join in the World Smile Day® celebrations and post a picture on Instagram showing how they are having fun and using the #SmileTrainWSD hashtag. Smile Train also encourages those who ordered a World Smile Day® party kit to post pictures with items from the kit as well. To learn more about Smile Train or to make a donation, please visit smiletrain.org. Smile Train will also support pop-up events around the world including: About Smile TrainSmile Train provides free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children in developing countries. Through training local doctors and empowering partner hospitals around the world, we advance a sustainable solution and scalable model to treat clefts, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, and speak over time. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org. About World Smile Day®World Smile Day® was created by Harvey Ball who believed that everyone should devote one day each year to smiles and acts of compassion throughout the world. Ball, who created the smiley face logo in 1963, created World Smile Day® to revitalize the original meaning of his logo: a symbol of generosity.