Short video/transcript of Andy Hnilo (Alitura Naturals) visiting Smile Train headquarters in New York, describing his personal facial injury and recovery, and announcing a corporate partnership in which Alitura donates a percentage of sales to Smile Train to fund free cleft repair surgeries for children worldwide. The Smile Train representative explains the charity’s mission and global reach (partnering with local hospitals/doctors in 85+ countries) and emphasizes the impact of providing free cleft care.
Hey, this is Andy with Alatur. I'm here in New York at the Smile Train headquarters. This is Samantha.
Hi everyone.
And many of you know, but some may not. Five years ago, I was hit and run over by two cars. Where westbound heading. Vehicle hit me in the eastbound lane. I woke up in ICU with a very uncomfortable injury. I severed a nerve right here which disrupted communication from my brain into my facial muscles. So my smile was completely just thrown off. I'm just happy to be here and I'm really, really happy to be working with a charity that I can relate so close to somewhat with being uncomfortable with my smile and such an important moment where you're supposed to be happy and showing your happiness and being worried about how you look when you smile. I've been there and I'm so just proud to be working with you in this organization. We donate a percentage of each sale back to Smile Train to help these beautiful kids to enjoy that awesome moment of happiness. So it's really, really good to be here. And thank you for having me.
Thank you. Thank you. We're so lucky to have Elator as a new corporate partner for Smile Train. For those of you who don't know, Smile Train is an international children's cleft charity with a single sustainable approach to providing, providing free cleft care for children around the world. So we partner with local hospitals and doctors in over 85 countries to provide 100% free cleft repair, surgery and comprehensive care as well. So these children, like Andy, know what it's like to not smile. But more importantly as well, they can't eat sometimes they can't speak or breathe properly and they're not able to to school or have a family or get married. So like Andy now who is able to smile and is getting back into the groove of things, these children are able to do that once they have their surgery. So it's all about providing 100% beautiful, sustainable life.
And it's the most rewarding act of service that you can do in my eyes. So I'm just really happy to be here and I'm really happy that, that I'm working with you all now. And I see a very good partnership going on in the future. And thanks so much for having me.
Thank you. Together we'll create smiles all around the world. So we're excited about it. Thank you.
