Good Morning Angels: Creating Madiba Magic through smiles
A smile is an act of kindness! Let’s make many more smiles possible for children this Mandela Day.
Adults typically laugh or smile around 15 times each day, according to research.
Not a lot if you think about it, and it seems that smiles are even harder to come by these days.
Just imagine a life where even if you wanted to, you could not smile.
Good Morning Angels: Single mom and her son both fighting cancer
That’s the reality for many children born with facial abnormalities like facial paralysis, burns, and cleft lips and palates.
This Mandela Day, Good Morning Angels is partnering with the Smile Foundation to help disadvantaged children living this reality.
Please support us to help make as many smiles a reality as possible. Donate here:
We can think of no more worthy way to create Madiba Magic than helping those who help children to smile.
Nelson Mandela himself was in fact the inspiration for the creation of the Smile Foundation when he answered the call from a concerned mother, whose daughter, Thando, was born with facial paralysis.
Madiba made a call to one of his go-to people, businessman and philanthropist Marc Lubner. Thando was then assisted and the Smile Foundation was born.
23 years later, more than 5,000 children have been assisted by the Smile Foundation.
From 17 to 21 July, Smile Week is coordinated by the Smile Foundation, when surgeons, their assisting surgical teams, other medical professionals, and hospital staff clear their schedules to perform these surgeries pro bono. This is besides the normal schedule of operations and other similar weeks held throughout the year.
Good Morning Angels: Standing with Jessica in her fight against cancer
There are, however, consumables and other service costs to be covered, at an average of R25,000 per patient. This is what Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels will be raising funds for. All funds raised between 12 and 18 July 2023 will go towards this cause. We hope to raise enough to cover 30 Smile Week patients and beyond.
To celebrate Mandela Day and to raise funds for Smile Week, Breakfast with Martin Bester will be broadcasting live from Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga’Rankuwa on Tuesday, 18 July.
One of the children who will be assisted during Smile Week is 13-year-old Karabo from Mamelodi. Karabo was born with a cleft lip and palate. Besides the fact that he looks different from other children, he has difficulty speaking and eating.
The operation to repair his cleft palate has been booked for next week, during Smile Week. After this has healed, his lip will also be repaired.
Good Morning Angels: Assisting matriculant Kevin and his family after a devastating crash
This will help tremendously with his health and development, but also his confidence, and, yes, it will give him the ability to smile!
REQUEST FOR: 13-year-old Karabo and his mom, Lebogang Bridgette Riba
REQUEST FROM: The Smile Foundation, represented by CEO Kim Robertson Smith
ANGEL: Tiisetso Malise, Spar North Rand HR Director
SPONSORING: On behalf of the Spar Women’s Challenge Tshwane and all the women and men supporting the race, Spar will donate R200,000 to support the Smile Foundation's Smile Week to perform corrective surgery on eight children, including Karabo.
Tune in to the 'Breakfast with Martin Bester', weekdays from 06:00 - 09:00. Stream the show live here or download our mobile app here.