Precious Wilson was born with a cleft palate and lip, a common birth defect that occurs when the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth and/or lip doesn’t fuse together.

But thanks to two doctors at St. Helena Hospital, this six-year-old girl from Pohnpei, an island in the Federated States of Micronesia, has a new smile.

Dr. Martin Paukert, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the hospital, and Dr. Steven Herber, the president and CEO at the hospital and a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, performed Precious’ cleft and lip palate repair surgery — for free — on April 21.

“I am happy and thankful for what Dr. Herber and St. Helena Hospital have done for my daughter,” said Eveleen Wilson, mother of Precious. “Our family has been praying for a new smile for her for years.”

Agreeing to perform surgery was the easy part. Coordinating the details and covering the costs of travel was challenging.

It involved many individuals at St. Helena Hospital, Mahi International, a nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of life for people in the Pacific Islands, and North Hills Children’s Church whose members worked to raise money to pay for travel expenses for Precious and her mother.

Precious’s surgery was a success, said the hospital.son was born with a cleft palate and lip, a common birth defect that occurs when the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth and/or lip doesn’t fuse together.

But thanks to two doctors at St. Helena Hospital, this six-year-old girl from Pohnpei, an island in the Federated States of Micronesia, has a new smile.

Dr. Martin Paukert, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the hospital, and Dr. Steven Herber, the president and CEO at the hospital and a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, performed Precious’ cleft and lip palate repair surgery — for free — on April 21.

“I am happy and thankful for what Dr. Herber and St. Helena Hospital have done for my daughter,” said Eveleen Wilson, mother of Precious. “Our family has been praying for a new smile for her for years.”

Agreeing to perform surgery was the easy part. Coordinating the details and covering the costs of travel was challenging.

It involved many individuals at St. Helena Hospital, Mahi International, a nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of life for people in the Pacific Islands, and North Hills Children’s Church whose members worked to raise money to pay for travel expenses for Precious and her mother.

Precious’s surgery was a success, said the hospital.

She woke up to her mother holding her hand. Her father, Constantino Wilson, Skyped her from Pohnpei. His first words to her were “keh masamwahu,” which means “you look beautiful.”

Precious was excited to hear those words and get home to show her friends and family her new smile. But most of all, she was excited to get back to school so she can graduate from kindergarten with her class.

Read the full article at napavalleyregister.com